Political polarization has always been a deeply rooted reality of American politics but it traces further back than the United States itself. Darwin proposed that morality was an adaption which evolved by natural selection both at an individual level and a group level. Morality or a strong commitment to virtue helped group cohesion and lead tribes with more virtuous members to take over other tribes which did not. In his book The Righteous Mind, Jonathan Haidt argues that group selection shaped the modern landscape as groups competed against one another for survival. The group with the most virtue prevailed. This is taken a step further by Haidt who proposes his “Hive Hypothesis”: The idea that humans can transcend self-interest in pursuit
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For example, this notorious excerpt: “Our movement rejects the view of man as an individual, standing by himself, self-centered, subject to natural law, which instinctively urges him toward a life of selfish momentary pleasure; it sees not only the individuals and generations bound together by a moral law, with common traditions and a mission which, suppressing the instinct for life closed in a brief circle of pleasure, builds up a higher life, founded on duty, a life free from the limitations of time and space, in which the individual, by self sacrifice, the renunciation of self interest… can achieve that purely spiritual existence in which his value as a man consist.” This passage, taken directly from Benito Mussolini’s “The Doctrine of Fascism” portrays a direct appeal to hive mind. Shedding one’s own selfishness for the greater good of the …show more content…
As political parties such as the GOP and DNC, and group affiliates take advantage of human nature and further divide the sections of the American electorate, an encouraged groupish behavior emerges and creates a system for perpetual propping up of the status quo. Partisan warfare according to Sean Theriault as he writes in Political Polarization in American Politics is “go[ing] beyond defeating your opponents to humiliating them, [...] beyond questioning your opponent’s judgement to questioning their motives, and go[ing] beyond fighting the good legislative fight to destroying the institution and the legislative process” (12). The proliferation of partisan warfare “serves electoral goals not legislative goals” (12), meaning that the less compromising legislators like Ted Cruz, create intentional havoc to rally their base and keep their seats. On his return from brain surgery, John McCain acknowledged this fact of partisan warfare: “We've been spinning our wheels on too many important issues because we keep trying to find a way to win without help from across the aisle.” McCain was making this point in reference to the 2017 health care reform bid and the complete stagnation of Congress to pass any type of reform. This utter lack of ability of Congress to move due to its extreme polarization can be translated into the hard data of the American electorate. As partisan warriors
For example, this notorious excerpt: “Our movement rejects the view of man as an individual, standing by himself, self-centered, subject to natural law, which instinctively urges him toward a life of selfish momentary pleasure; it sees not only the individuals and generations bound together by a moral law, with common traditions and a mission which, suppressing the instinct for life closed in a brief circle of pleasure, builds up a higher life, founded on duty, a life free from the limitations of time and space, in which the individual, by self sacrifice, the renunciation of self interest… can achieve that purely spiritual existence in which his value as a man consist.” This passage, taken directly from Benito Mussolini’s “The Doctrine of Fascism” portrays a direct appeal to hive mind. Shedding one’s own selfishness for the greater good of the …show more content…
As political parties such as the GOP and DNC, and group affiliates take advantage of human nature and further divide the sections of the American electorate, an encouraged groupish behavior emerges and creates a system for perpetual propping up of the status quo. Partisan warfare according to Sean Theriault as he writes in Political Polarization in American Politics is “go[ing] beyond defeating your opponents to humiliating them, [...] beyond questioning your opponent’s judgement to questioning their motives, and go[ing] beyond fighting the good legislative fight to destroying the institution and the legislative process” (12). The proliferation of partisan warfare “serves electoral goals not legislative goals” (12), meaning that the less compromising legislators like Ted Cruz, create intentional havoc to rally their base and keep their seats. On his return from brain surgery, John McCain acknowledged this fact of partisan warfare: “We've been spinning our wheels on too many important issues because we keep trying to find a way to win without help from across the aisle.” McCain was making this point in reference to the 2017 health care reform bid and the complete stagnation of Congress to pass any type of reform. This utter lack of ability of Congress to move due to its extreme polarization can be translated into the hard data of the American electorate. As partisan warriors