after all too many tense discussions over holiday gatherings
over holiday gatherings
over holiday gatherings it seems Americans have come to a
it seems Americans have come to a
it seems Americans have come to a conclusion politics simply aren’t dinner
conclusion politics simply aren’t dinner
conclusion politics simply aren’t dinner table material because it’s easier to
table material because it’s easier to
table material because it’s easier to talk about the New England Patriots than
talk about the New England Patriots than
talk about the New England Patriots than it is the definition of patriotism
it is the definition of patriotism
it is the definition of patriotism parties make for more pleasant
parties make for more pleasant
parties make for more pleasant conversation when they’re Jimmy’s 12th
conversation when they’re Jimmy’s 12th
conversation when they’re Jimmy’s 12th birthday not Democrat versus Republican
birthday not Democrat versus Republican
birthday not Democrat versus Republican the conversation will stay lighter if
the conversation will stay lighter if
the conversation will stay lighter if it’s focused on the album that’s about
it’s focused on the album that’s about
it’s focused on the album that’s about to drop rather than the bomb and so we
to drop rather than the bomb and so we
to drop rather than the bomb and so we avoid these conversations and build a
avoid these conversations and build a
avoid these conversations and build a tension that has spilled from our dinner
tension that has spilled from our dinner
tension that has spilled from our dinner tables to our streets and to our Twitter
tables to our streets and to our Twitter
tables to our streets and to our Twitter feeds there’s a partisan divide
feeds there’s a partisan divide
feeds there’s a partisan divide sprinting across our country and
sprinting across our country and
sprinting across our country and covering our capital and now it’s found
covering our capital and now it’s found
covering our capital and now it’s found its way into our family rooms and it’s
its way into our family rooms and it’s
its way into our family rooms and it’s lurking at our lunch tables in 1980
lurking at our lunch tables in 1980
lurking at our lunch tables in 1980 American national election studies the
American national election studies the
American national election studies the largest national voter survey in the
largest national voter survey in the
largest national voter survey in the United States asked voters to rate their
United States asked voters to rate their
United States asked voters to rate their approval of their own party and of the
approval of their own party and of the
approval of their own party and of the opposing party on a scale of 0 to 100
opposing party on a scale of 0 to 100
opposing party on a scale of 0 to 100 degrees with 0 being the most negative
degrees with 0 being the most negative
degrees with 0 being the most negative 50 being neutral and 100 being the most
50 being neutral and 100 being the most
50 being neutral and 100 being the most positive here are their results an
positive here are their results an
positive here are their results an average of 72 degrees for voters own
average of 72 degrees for voters own
average of 72 degrees for voters own parties and a slightly cooler 45 for the
parties and a slightly cooler 45 for the
parties and a slightly cooler 45 for the opposing party in 2012 they conducted
opposing party in 2012 they conducted
opposing party in 2012 they conducted the same survey voters use of their own
the same survey voters use of their own
the same survey voters use of their own parties had hardly changed dropping just
parties had hardly changed dropping just
parties had hardly changed dropping just two degrees the change was in their
two degrees the change was in their
two degrees the change was in their views of the opposing party a reduction
views of the opposing party a reduction
views of the opposing party a reduction from 45 degrees to just 30
from 45 degrees to just 30
from 45 degrees to just 30 over the course of 32 years our opinions
over the course of 32 years our opinions
over the course of 32 years our opinions of one another have deteriorated and
of one another have deteriorated and
of one another have deteriorated and today as a nation we struggle to even be
today as a nation we struggle to even be
today as a nation we struggle to even be civil our discussions have become so
civil our discussions have become so
civil our discussions have become so negative our words so provocative our
negative our words so provocative our
negative our words so provocative our conversations so unproductive a large
conversations so unproductive a large
conversations so unproductive a large part of this interior ation of unity and
part of this interior ation of unity and
part of this interior ation of unity and civility this 15 degree reduction is due
civility this 15 degree reduction is due
civility this 15 degree reduction is due to political bubbles think about a
to political bubbles think about a
to political bubbles think about a bubble something that completely
bubble something that completely
bubble something that completely encloses its interior and shelters it
encloses its interior and shelters it
encloses its interior and shelters it from outside influences a closed case a
from outside influences a closed case a
from outside influences a closed case a curved surface that lets light shine
curved surface that lets light shine
curved surface that lets light shine through but distorts the resulting image
through but distorts the resulting image
through but distorts the resulting image political bubbles work in a similar way
political bubbles work in a similar way
political bubbles work in a similar way they close off their inhabitants they
they close off their inhabitants they
they close off their inhabitants they don’t allow new ideas or information to
don’t allow new ideas or information to
don’t allow new ideas or information to enter or develop they’re composed of
enter or develop they’re composed of
enter or develop they’re composed of people who largely agree with one
people who largely agree with one
people who largely agree with one another and if information that confirms
another and if information that confirms
another and if information that confirms those people’s shared beliefs I grew up
those people’s shared beliefs I grew up
those people’s shared beliefs I grew up on one coast or the other in a largely
on one coast or the other in a largely
on one coast or the other in a largely suburban setting that in the majority of
suburban setting that in the majority of
suburban setting that in the majority of the places I’ve lived had an incredible
the places I’ve lived had an incredible
the places I’ve lived had an incredible diversity and while I interacted with
diversity and while I interacted with
diversity and while I interacted with lots of different types of people and
lots of different types of people and
lots of different types of people and experienced different places I never
experienced different places I never
experienced different places I never really found my beliefs challenged and I
really found my beliefs challenged and I
really found my beliefs challenged and I didn’t really go about challenging them
didn’t really go about challenging them
didn’t really go about challenging them than myself in short I had created a
than myself in short I had created a
than myself in short I had created a political bubble so my question is what
political bubble so my question is what
political bubble so my question is what happens when a political bubble pops I
happens when a political bubble pops I
happens when a political bubble pops I devoted many months of my junior year to
devoted many months of my junior year to
devoted many months of my junior year to my campaign for youth Governor of
my campaign for youth Governor of
my campaign for youth Governor of California
California
California spoiler alert unfortunately I lost my
spoiler alert unfortunately I lost my
spoiler alert unfortunately I lost my party primary but fortunately that
party primary but fortunately that
party primary but fortunately that wasn’t the only thing I lost I lost a
wasn’t the only thing I lost I lost a
wasn’t the only thing I lost I lost a bit of that bubble and when I prepared
bit of that bubble and when I prepared
bit of that bubble and when I prepared for heated debates or answered barrages
for heated debates or answered barrages
for heated debates or answered barrages of questions I sometimes found myself
of questions I sometimes found myself
of questions I sometimes found myself disgusted by ideas and sentiments that I
disgusted by ideas and sentiments that I
disgusted by ideas and sentiments that I didn’t think existed in my America
didn’t think existed in my America
didn’t think existed in my America there’s a part of the brain called the
there’s a part of the brain called the
there’s a part of the brain called the amygdala its job is to respond to
amygdala its job is to respond to
amygdala its job is to respond to threats and it reacts with fear as
threats and it reacts with fear as
threats and it reacts with fear as discovered in a recent USC study it’s
discovered in a recent USC study it’s
discovered in a recent USC study it’s the same part of the brain that responds
the same part of the brain that responds
the same part of the brain that responds when a person hears a statement that
when a person hears a statement that
when a person hears a statement that runs counter to their deeply held
runs counter to their deeply held
runs counter to their deeply held political beliefs so when I was on the
political beliefs so when I was on the
political beliefs so when I was on the campaign trail or trying to wrap my mind
campaign trail or trying to wrap my mind
campaign trail or trying to wrap my mind around the entire year of 2016 or just
around the entire year of 2016 or just
around the entire year of 2016 or just the tumultuous events of the past two
the tumultuous events of the past two
the tumultuous events of the past two weeks my brain literally recognized
weeks my brain literally recognized
weeks my brain literally recognized ideas that came from outside of my
ideas that came from outside of my
ideas that came from outside of my bubble as threats so what I’ve come to
bubble as threats so what I’ve come to
bubble as threats so what I’ve come to realize in the aftermath of not just my
realize in the aftermath of not just my
realize in the aftermath of not just my own election but also the recent
own election but also the recent
own election but also the recent presidential and congressional elections
presidential and congressional elections
presidential and congressional elections is that those ideas aren’t necessarily
is that those ideas aren’t necessarily
is that those ideas aren’t necessarily threats they’re opportunities to learn
threats they’re opportunities to learn
threats they’re opportunities to learn and to grow to understand one another to
and to grow to understand one another to
and to grow to understand one another to strive towards a more perfect union
strive towards a more perfect union
strive towards a more perfect union because we all want to make our
because we all want to make our
because we all want to make our communities and our country better we
communities and our country better we
communities and our country better we just have very different ideas about how
just have very different ideas about how
just have very different ideas about how to get there and maybe about what there
to get there and maybe about what there
to get there and maybe about what there looks like and that’s okay
looks like and that’s okay
looks like and that’s okay that’s what makes democracy work so when
that’s what makes democracy work so when
that’s what makes democracy work so when you’re talking politics with someone
you’re talking politics with someone
you’re talking politics with someone instead of attacking them with how dare
instead of attacking them with how dare
instead of attacking them with how dare you think that way ask them what do you
you think that way ask them what do you
you think that way ask them what do you value most which life experiences
value most which life experiences
value most which life experiences contributed to your perspective who are
contributed to your perspective who are
contributed to your perspective who are your favorite politicians where did you
your favorite politicians where did you
your favorite politicians where did you grow up and how does that influence
grow up and how does that influence
grow up and how does that influence where you are now physically and
where you are now physically and
where you are now physically and ideologically how do you get your news
ideologically how do you get your news
ideologically how do you get your news what do you think about my opposing
what do you think about my opposing
what do you think about my opposing views go into your conversation with the
views go into your conversation with the
views go into your conversation with the goal of convincing secondary to the goal
goal of convincing secondary to the goal
goal of convincing secondary to the goal of understanding this past February a
of understanding this past February a
of understanding this past February a Sacramento’s youth in government
Sacramento’s youth in government
Sacramento’s youth in government conference I was appointed to the
conference I was appointed to the
conference I was appointed to the adversary core of the national issues
adversary core of the national issues
adversary core of the national issues Commission basically my job was to find
Commission basically my job was to find
Commission basically my job was to find everything wrong with every proposal
everything wrong with every proposal
everything wrong with every proposal that came to my desk and then tear it
that came to my desk and then tear it
that came to my desk and then tear it apart in the form of a speech at the
apart in the form of a speech at the
apart in the form of a speech at the General Assembly it was fantastic there
General Assembly it was fantastic there
General Assembly it was fantastic there was just one problem the vast majority
was just one problem the vast majority
was just one problem the vast majority of the proposals that I read seemed to
of the proposals that I read seemed to
of the proposals that I read seemed to fit perfectly into my own political
fit perfectly into my own political
fit perfectly into my own political bubble so I texted my friends on the
bubble so I texted my friends on the
bubble so I texted my friends on the other side of the aisle I listen to
other side of the aisle I listen to
other side of the aisle I listen to podcasts that were at times almost
podcasts that were at times almost
podcasts that were at times almost painful to my ears I read up ads from
painful to my ears I read up ads from
painful to my ears I read up ads from media sources that lean in a direction
media sources that lean in a direction
media sources that lean in a direction completely opposite my own because in
completely opposite my own because in
completely opposite my own because in order for me to understand a different
order for me to understand a different
order for me to understand a different perspective
perspective
perspective I couldn’t simply know what that
I couldn’t simply know what that
I couldn’t simply know what that perspective was I had to grasp why it
perspective was I had to grasp why it
perspective was I had to grasp why it was and only when I forced myself out of
was and only when I forced myself out of
was and only when I forced myself out of my political bubble did I realize how
my political bubble did I realize how
my political bubble did I realize how harmful and limiting it had been I
harmful and limiting it had been I
harmful and limiting it had been I didn’t change my views drastically on
didn’t change my views drastically on
didn’t change my views drastically on every issue or many issues at all and I
every issue or many issues at all and I
every issue or many issues at all and I didn’t suddenly find myself agreeing
didn’t suddenly find myself agreeing
didn’t suddenly find myself agreeing with people on the other end of the
with people on the other end of the
with people on the other end of the political spectrum but I came to see
political spectrum but I came to see
political spectrum but I came to see them as just that people people whose
them as just that people people whose
them as just that people people whose views and backgrounds and ideologies
views and backgrounds and ideologies
views and backgrounds and ideologies happen to differ from my own not enemies
happen to differ from my own not enemies
happen to differ from my own not enemies or obstacles but people people to work
or obstacles but people people to work
or obstacles but people people to work with
with
with as we continue together on this great
as we continue together on this great
as we continue together on this great experiment of democracy political
experiment of democracy political
experiment of democracy political bubbles endanger that democracy our
bubbles endanger that democracy our
bubbles endanger that democracy our increasing exposure to a rising bidders
increasing exposure to a rising bidders
increasing exposure to a rising bidders for partisanship over the past three
for partisanship over the past three
for partisanship over the past three decades in dangers that democracy in
decades in dangers that democracy in
decades in dangers that democracy in 1980 Americans certainly weren’t an
1980 Americans certainly weren’t an
1980 Americans certainly weren’t an agreement on everything just like every
agreement on everything just like every
agreement on everything just like every other time throughout our history voters
other time throughout our history voters
other time throughout our history voters temperatures towards the opposing party
temperatures towards the opposing party
temperatures towards the opposing party hovered at a chilly yet survivable 45
hovered at a chilly yet survivable 45
hovered at a chilly yet survivable 45 degrees the vast majority of Americans
degrees the vast majority of Americans
degrees the vast majority of Americans got their news from three sources
got their news from three sources
got their news from three sources whether they liked it or not they were
whether they liked it or not they were
whether they liked it or not they were exposed to the same information and try
exposed to the same information and try
exposed to the same information and try as they may have they simply couldn’t
as they may have they simply couldn’t
as they may have they simply couldn’t live in ideological isolation here are
live in ideological isolation here are
live in ideological isolation here are just a few of our news options today
and because of this polarization no
and because of this polarization no matter where you personally fall in the
matter where you personally fall in the
matter where you personally fall in the political spectrum you can find a media
political spectrum you can find a media
political spectrum you can find a media source that confirms the beliefs you
source that confirms the beliefs you
source that confirms the beliefs you allow in your political bubbles but
allow in your political bubbles but
allow in your political bubbles but newsflash if you’re a liberal just
newsflash if you’re a liberal just
newsflash if you’re a liberal just watching CNN or a conservative
watching CNN or a conservative
watching CNN or a conservative exclusively listening to Fox News you’re
exclusively listening to Fox News you’re
exclusively listening to Fox News you’re doing it all wrong I personally have and
doing it all wrong I personally have and
doing it all wrong I personally have and at least one rule if on Twitter I follow
at least one rule if on Twitter I follow
at least one rule if on Twitter I follow a few politicians I like I have to
a few politicians I like I have to
a few politicians I like I have to follow at least one with whom I
follow at least one with whom I
follow at least one with whom I fundamentally disagree if I read a few
fundamentally disagree if I read a few
fundamentally disagree if I read a few articles I confirm my pre-existing
articles I confirm my pre-existing
articles I confirm my pre-existing beliefs I have to read at least one that
beliefs I have to read at least one that
beliefs I have to read at least one that doesn’t and I can’t always find someone
doesn’t and I can’t always find someone
doesn’t and I can’t always find someone to speak with and disagree with but I
to speak with and disagree with but I
to speak with and disagree with but I can listen to others speak and that’s
can listen to others speak and that’s
can listen to others speak and that’s why whenever I watch CNN i watch Fox’s
why whenever I watch CNN i watch Fox’s
why whenever I watch CNN i watch Fox’s coverage too and if I follow or read or
coverage too and if I follow or read or
coverage too and if I follow or read or speak with or listen to at least one
speak with or listen to at least one
speak with or listen to at least one then at least I’m trying I’m trying to
then at least I’m trying I’m trying to
then at least I’m trying I’m trying to pop that political bubble and my
pop that political bubble and my
pop that political bubble and my amygdala may catalog god as a threat but
amygdala may catalog god as a threat but
amygdala may catalog god as a threat but I know that the greatest and most
I know that the greatest and most
I know that the greatest and most pressing threat is avoiding these
pressing threat is avoiding these
pressing threat is avoiding these conversations and interactions
conversations and interactions
conversations and interactions altogether because look where that got
altogether because look where that got
altogether because look where that got us
us
us it got us to 30 degrees and why is that
it got us to 30 degrees and why is that
it got us to 30 degrees and why is that significant
significant
significant the 95th Congress from 1977 to 78 went
the 95th Congress from 1977 to 78 went
the 95th Congress from 1977 to 78 went through 20 2313 pieces of legislation
through 20 2313 pieces of legislation
through 20 2313 pieces of legislation the 112th Congress from 2011 to 13 went
the 112th Congress from 2011 to 13 went
the 112th Congress from 2011 to 13 went through 12,000 299 that’s roughly half
through 12,000 299 that’s roughly half
through 12,000 299 that’s roughly half as productive and of the 240 statutes
as productive and of the 240 statutes
as productive and of the 240 statutes that this Congress actually managed to
that this Congress actually managed to
that this Congress actually managed to pass 46 were dedicated to the admirable
pass 46 were dedicated to the admirable
pass 46 were dedicated to the admirable legislative purpose of renaming post
legislative purpose of renaming post
legislative purpose of renaming post offices 30 degrees is below freezing and
offices 30 degrees is below freezing and
offices 30 degrees is below freezing and frozen objects don’t move if we’re all
frozen objects don’t move if we’re all
frozen objects don’t move if we’re all from congressmen to ordinary citizens
from congressmen to ordinary citizens
from congressmen to ordinary citizens frozen with deep partisan cracks and
frozen with deep partisan cracks and
frozen with deep partisan cracks and stagnant political bubbles we won’t move
stagnant political bubbles we won’t move
stagnant political bubbles we won’t move and certainly not forward this past
and certainly not forward this past
and certainly not forward this past summer I interned at the office of our
summer I interned at the office of our
summer I interned at the office of our Democratic state senator and of all of
Democratic state senator and of all of
Democratic state senator and of all of the elected officials in Senate District
the elected officials in Senate District
the elected officials in Senate District seven we worked most closely with our
seven we worked most closely with our
seven we worked most closely with our Republican Assemblywoman there was a
Republican Assemblywoman there was a
Republican Assemblywoman there was a poster on the wall next to my cubicle
poster on the wall next to my cubicle
poster on the wall next to my cubicle that listed 10 governing principles the
that listed 10 governing principles the
that listed 10 governing principles the third was pursued by partisan decisions
third was pursued by partisan decisions
third was pursued by partisan decisions they’re always better and longer-lasting
they’re always better and longer-lasting
they’re always better and longer-lasting so if I had to say one thing that I took
so if I had to say one thing that I took
so if I had to say one thing that I took away from that internship it would be
away from that internship it would be
away from that internship it would be this
this
this we can disagree without being
we can disagree without being
we can disagree without being disagreeable we can work across the
disagreeable we can work across the
disagreeable we can work across the aisle or at least talk across it we
aisle or at least talk across it we
aisle or at least talk across it we don’t have to stay in our political
don’t have to stay in our political
don’t have to stay in our political bubbles so I ask you please to engage in
bubbles so I ask you please to engage in
bubbles so I ask you please to engage in polite and productive and passionate and
polite and productive and passionate and
polite and productive and passionate and purposeful political discourse have a
purposeful political discourse have a
purposeful political discourse have a conversation try to pop a political
conversation try to pop a political
conversation try to pop a political bubble at least one thank you
”
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