It’s Easier than Ever to Understand the Other Side

As we spend time with our families this New Year after a contentious election cycle, I wanted to draw your attention to some research that shows we are not only divided, but that we are digging in – and I want to tell you why I think it’s easier than ever to dig out.

More than 7 in 10 adults said that this holiday season they hope to avoid discussing politics with family, according to a survey by the American Psychological Association. Even more alarming, nearly 2 in 5 adults said that “they are avoiding family they disagree with over the holidays.”

The survey found that younger adults were significantly more likely than those 65 or older to avoid being around those with whom they disagreed.

This discomfort with the other side is no surprise, given our media consumption habits have created echo chambers that cater to our individual perspectives and shield us from different viewpoints.

Earlier this year, New Yorker writer Kyle Chayka published a book called Filterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture, and, as he explained to NPR, while all our new digital apps and platforms feel like a shared experience, the digital algorithms of 2024 are “actually kind of atomizing our experiences because we can never tell what other people are seeing in their own feeds.”

As media becomes more curated for each viewer, we learn less about what people on the other side think—or even how to talk to them. It becomes easier to demonize or simply not understand their choices. Our algorithms feed us what we want to see and believe.

But here’s the promising wrinkle: In this election, the media landscape shifted, giving us more opportunities to understand the other side. To go beyond the algorithm and see what the other side sees is, in fact, probably free.

As the Wall Street Journal put it: “The traditional gatekeepers of political discourse—TV networks and newspapers—are shrinking in influence as Americans turn to many more outlets for information.” The newspaper reports that Trump “went on about 20 podcasts this year, including the comedian Theo Von’s show and Barstool Sports’ “Bussin’ With the Boys.”

If you want to listen to President-elect Donald Trump talk with Joe Rogan or—if you want to listen to Vice President Kamala Harris on “Call Her Daddy” – both podcasts can be listened to free online.

You can subvert the algorithm on YouTube and search for episodes of “The Megyn Kelly Show” or “Pod Save America.”

There’s more opportunity and reason than ever to understand all sides. All it takes is an investment of time.

By doing so, we can help break down barriers and help us communicate better – not just so we can show up at our family holiday dinner—but also be better, more effective communicators at work.