Why is America so divided? — USC News

My comment, "In a quick and non-scientific experiment I used Google, DuckDuckGo, and Brave to research why divisiveness is being cultivated in the United States today. Almost all the articles in Google point to one race as bad and the other as being persecuted. Both DuckDuckGo and Brave present various sides of the question. The sad part is that divisiveness has permeated every segment of our country including our military. Does bias belong in our news today or should we be presented with the facts so we can form our own opinions?

I'll present some conclusions of my own based on additional research on the subject as follows:

Divisiveness is being cultivated in the United States today for a variety of reasons, including political, social, and economic factors. Here are some possible explanations:

1. Political polarization: The United States has become increasingly politically polarized in recent years, with the two major political parties holding vastly different views on a range of issues. This has led to a culture of "us vs. them" in which each side demonizes the other and sees compromise as a weakness. Politicians and media outlets on both sides have contributed to this culture of division by using extreme rhetoric and emphasizing differences rather than common ground.

2. Social media: Social media has played a major role in cultivating divisiveness in the United States. Platforms like Facebook and Twitter have allowed people to connect with others who share their beliefs and opinions, but they have also created "echo chambers" in which people are exposed only to viewpoints that reinforce their own. This has led to a lack of empathy and understanding for those with different perspectives, and has made it easier for people to demonize those who disagree with them.

3. Economic inequality: The growing economic inequality in the United States has created a sense of resentment and anger among those who feel left behind by the system. This has led to the rise of populist movements on both the left and the right, which often use divisive rhetoric to rally supporters and demonize the "other side." This is more evident today as the current administration has created economic folly.

4. Media fragmentation: The fragmentation of the media landscape in the United States has made it easier for people to consume news and information that aligns with their existing beliefs and values. This has led to a lack of shared facts and a sense that there are multiple "realities" rather than a shared one.

One example is NPR which recently wrote,

“It's problematic in the way white American origin stories tend to be, erasing anything but the heroic white point of view, conveniently forgetting the colonization and violence that began the American experiment, and ignoring that the new world was not new.”

Overall, many complex factors are contributing to the cultivation of divisiveness in the United States today. Addressing these factors will require a concerted effort from individuals, organizations, and institutions across the country.