Media/Video

Here are some interesting videos on the topic of political animosity and polarization, again in no particular order. (Comment on these and other videos in our Videos Discussion Topic.)

Is ideological reconciliation “cool?”

It wasn’t really extraordinary that NBC’s Saturday Night Live comedian Pete Davidson apologized for what he conceded was “a poor choice” in how he roasted GOP congressional candidate and Afghan war veteran Dan Crenshaw.  What is extraordinary is that SNL felt it was fresh entertainment for a clear liberal and clear conservative to sit on the hippest of late night TV stages together and laugh both at and with one another. Wait … it’s cool to respect ideological opponents?  And have fun doing it?! The pendulum is turning, I’m telling you.  Prejudice of any type? #uncool.

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Smerconish on who’s to blame for polarization

In video commentary on CNN, commentator Michael Smerconish leverages four recent studies to argue that the vast majority of the populous is not actually divided, the politicians are just manipulating us to believe we are.  Coincidentally, e.pluribus.US had already told you about three of those four studies (register for email updates if you want to stay ahead of the crowd :-).  (Brief and informative, 3:15)

Comment: The Exhausted Majority

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Visualization of research on polarization in US Congress

Michigan State University associate professor of psychology and global urban studies Zachary Neal‘s team gathered data on (non) collaboration in Congress and documented increasing polarization from at least 1973.  They explain and visualize it in this video.

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Heineken World’s Apart Campaign

I’m somewhat conflicted in sharing this video because it simplifies the issue, is arguably trite, definitely commercial and we can assume there was selection bias in what they chose to edit out.   But it is compelling, and does a very effective job of illustrating a basic point: that even significant world view differences need not interfere with our ability to appreciate, associate with and collaborate in a rewarding way with others. Often, the animosity we develop toward others is simply an unjustified, counterproductive fabrication. (Shout-out to my friend Pam Sogge for citing this one.)

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Interview with Amy Chua, author of “Political Tribes.”

From CNBC: “Amy Chua, Yale Law School professor, discusses how the U.S. political discussion has segregated the electorate into political tribes.”  I read Political Tribes and it’s insightful.  Chua does a good job in this interview framing discussion about this topic.

Comment on these and other videos in our Videos Discussion Topic.