Optimism Amid Our Nation’s Challenges

These are difficult times in the United States with wide-ranging challenges including:

·       Declines in basic kindness

·       Political polarization 

·       Government dysfunction

·       Racial divides

·       Health care system failures

·       Economic and social stresses including inflation, housing, and child care

·       The urban-rural divide. 

Then there are forces that magnify these issues: a media environment that rewards outrage over thoughtfulness; social media algorithms that exploit our worst instincts; and conflict entrepreneurs who benefit financially and politically by pitting us against each other. 

Attendees at the recent Braver Angels national conference in Gettysburg, PA were asked, “Why are you here?” and responses included:

·       “To leave the word better than I found it.”

·       “I am deeply concerned about the country I love. My grandkids deserve to inherit a better country.”

·       “I am here because, if we don’t change how our politics is done, we’ll see ourselves in another civil war. Except this time, it won’t look like Gettysburg – it’ll look like Rwanda.” 

Having worked twenty years ago in Rwanda, that last one caught my attention. I remember feeling grateful that we didn’t have political tribalism in our country. Later, I worked in Guinea during the Ebola epidemic. I recall thinking Americans would have trust in our public health system in a medical crisis. I was obviously wrong on both counts.   

But we can each make a difference through individual actions. One person at that convention wrote, “We need to trust each other again, and trust begins with communication.” Another came, “to build relationships with people with different experiences and perspectives than mine.” Another said, “I’m here to dig deeper into my own biases and judgements.”  

Building trust is so important, and this requires getting out of our comfort zone to reach out to others with different viewpoints. Looking within yourself to get past preconceived ideas is vital, too. We each have an extraordinary opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives, including our own. Don’t underestimate your impact!   

You can read my full NH Business Review column on this topic at https://read.nhbr.com/nh-business-review#2023/10/20/?article=4164138