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When The Language We Use Divides Us
Words are rapidly being re-defined in a way that pits Americans against each other
If you follow me, you know that I believe our debt-based Ponzi scheme economy is the root cause of all our systemic failures — from the housing and homeless crisis, to food insecurity, unaffordable healthcare, and environmental collapse. Yet we never discuss the Ponzi scheme that’s pulling America into crisis. This isn’t by chance; it happens because we’re divided.
When people are constantly pitted against each other, their greater human connection escapes them. They can’t appreciate what they have in common. It becomes much harder for them to see the source of their shared problems and to come together to solve them.
So why is America so divided now?
It’s no secret that cable news and social media have viciously polarized our country, trapping us in partisan echo chambers that reinforce our worldviews. Two halves of the country are constantly sparring with each other over which facts are “real” and which side is distorting them. You’ve probably had conversations with friends or family and walked away shaking your head and thinking, “They have no idea what I’m talking about. It’s like we’re living in completely different worlds.”
