Everywhere you look, you can find reminders that the world in which we find ourselves is being rocked by a rise in political division and anti-intellectualism. From bumper stickers to corporate policies, people everywhere are devoting more time to division and denial than actual understanding of the global situation in which we find ourselves. It can be easy to slip into the “us-versus-them” mindset when it seems like reason and nuance have been tossed out the window.
I saw the uncensored Charlie Kirk assassination footage when I opened Instagram in the late morning of September 10, 2025. The public nature and extreme documentation of his death coupled with the power of social media makes the effect of politically charged violence feel tangible. While it made my stomach turn, it was also not incredibly shocking to me that the ideas peddled by Kirk created a breeding ground for violence and anger.
Kirk was a rage-baiter who made a profit off of other peoples’ frustration. I hesitate to call his method of sharing ideas “debate” because it is chock-full of contradictions and logical fallacies that are difficult to follow at times. Sitting under a tent that reads “prove me wrong” and speaking over those who try to do so was clearly not a very intuitive way to have a dialogue, and yet his ability to negatively manipulate basic human emotion to the advantage of himself and his fans was truly remarkable. However, I do not think Kirk is an outlier in his stubborn mode of conversation.
If you have ever been on a particularly strenuous hike, it might seem easier to turn around and walk with your back facing uphill once your thighs and calves start aching. However, you soon realize this is actually a much more frustrating method of conquering the trail, and that you are better off with burning legs than tripping over a rock or tree root. In my experience, turning away from or attempting to completely dominate uncomfortable conversations feels the same as walking uphill backwards — it seems to be a momentary release from irritation, but you come to find out that it is short-lived and the challenge still looms, waiting for you to face it.
Progress is made by meeting those challenges. In some cases, dialogue with people who are different from you ideologically can lead to a productive sharing of ideas and a connection to humanity. When it is easy to label someone as your enemy, we skip over a fundamental factor of political discourse and risk losing the societal virtues that have allowed us to make it this far. Politics is first born through productive conversation between ordinary people; not on a podium, campaign, or in a legislature.
You are not immune to polarizing rhetoric. Have real conversations with people who are different from you, and try to understand why they believe what they do. No matter how brainwashed you think the “other side” is, odds are you are more similar to them than you are to the leaders and thinkers you side with.
Of course, it would be naive to believe that everyone on every side of the political spectrum is up for a well-rounded and reasonable discussion about morals and values. It is easy for folks to toss absurd comments back and forth for the sake of a reaction rather than share an interest in mutual understanding. When face-to-face with ideas that diametrically oppose yours to an extreme, taking a step back to save yourself from anger or despair can be the safest bet. However, I ask that you consider how one might reach their opinions. We oftentimes have the same basic concerns as everyone else, but disagree on how to find the right solution.
No one is asking you to be friends with people who discredit or outright disrespect your closely held values, but how are we to move forward in any positive way when we cannot even listen to others speak before we label them as friends or foes? Understanding and empathy can bring us closer to having a shared vision for what comes next in our global society.
Kirk’s assassination should serve as a wake-up call not only to Americans, but to anyone who catches themselves feeding into the conflict-driven ecosystem that allowed him to thrive. In other words, healthy dialogue is essential to success. Progress is an uphill battle. If we let ourselves be daunted by the trailhead, we will never see the view at the summit.
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