Americans feel more divided than ever. You can do something about that. | Opinion
While our political differences are real, the forces that profit on division have broken up too many families and friend groups.
Picture this: You’re gathered around a dinner table for a meal with loved ones. But you’re on edge because seated across from you is a family member whose politics clashes with yours and who also loves to instigate arguments.
You dread the confrontation that is likely to arise because, like most Americans, you’re not sure how to navigate those differences without the conversation spiraling into an ugly place.
As a leader in the bridge-building movement in America for over a decade, I have seen this challenge hit home for every community I engage with. According to More in Common, 9 out of every 10 Americans believe our country is more divided than ever. Yet, more than 75% still think that we can come together and overcome those divides.
For the past eight years, thousands of Americans have joined the bridge-building movement through the annual National Week of Conversation, happening this year from April 21 through April 27. The Week of Conversation is an invitation to every American to find a way to come together in real conversation − not to win arguments, but to listen more generously, to disagree more constructively and to cocreate new ideas that strengthen our country.
Americans don't know how to talk with each other
Now, you may wonder how even to start such conversations. You’re not alone. The More in Common study found that while most Americans want to engage with people who are different from them − whether by race, class, faith or politics − they feel most comfortable doing that through a shared goal or purpose.
That’s where culture and storytelling come in.
At Bridge Entertainment Labs, the organization I lead, we are working with creative artists and leaders in the entertainment industry to spark a new movement of storytelling. We call it, “New American Stories of Us.” The narratives reflect our complexity, highlight our shared humanity and inspire a renewed sense of civic possibility.
We recognize that to have shared goals, we need to have shared stories that remind us of the values and beliefs we have in common as Americans.
That’s what the Better Together Film Festival, part of this year’s Week of Conversation, is all about. The festival features six films that ignite conversation and build connection.
One of the filmmakers, Erik Bork, writer and director of the romantic comedy "Elephant in the Room," said: “In the process of researching, writing and making the film, I’ve become increasingly convinced that polarization is the fundamental issue behind many of the problems we face. But it’s optional to be part of that divide. It’s far more fulfilling and productive to rise above it in our personal relationships and in how we view those who think differently, while still holding our convictions and acting on them.”
Likewise, Erin Bernhardt and Din Blankenship, codirectors and producers of the movie "Refuge," said: “Our passion to tell this story and participate in the Better Together Film Festival is in some ways fueled by dread. We find the growing hostility in our country deeply unsettling. The pages of history tell us where this path leads, and we are determined to help forge a new one. Stories like 'Refuge' and festivals like Better Together offer us a road map for how we can become agents of peace within our communities and equip us to bring about the healing that so many of us long for.”
Storytelling can help us bridge political divides
New data supports what these filmmakers know intuitively: Stories have power.
According to Julia Kamin, a researcher at the Civic Health Project, early results from their Social Cohesion Impact Measurement tool indicate that films with narratives that show how people can bridge their divisions significantly reduce polarization, increase empathy and promote pluralistic norms.
While our political differences are real, the forces that profit on division have broken up too many families and friend groups. During this year’s National Week of Conversation, we have an opportunity to flip the script. Instead of avoiding hard conversations, we can approach them with curiosity.
Consider inviting that opinionated relative or friend to join you in watching one of the Better Together Film Festival’s featured films and have a conversation about it. Or visit www.conversation.us/action for a menu of options available year-round to begin your journey toward bridging divides.
In this divided moment, choosing connection is an act of courage − and a spark for something greater. When we listen with the intent to understand, we don’t just change the tone of one conversation; we begin to shift the culture.
That shift can start anywhere, including in a movie theater or across the dinner table, with the stories we dare to tell − and the humanity we choose to see.
The Better Together Film Festival is part of the 8th Annual National Week of Conversation, a national campaign supported by the Listen First Coalition.
Steven Olikara serves as the founding president of Bridge Entertainment Labs, dedicated to harnessing the power of entertainment and culture to transform divisions in America and strengthen democracy. He also is the founder and a board member of Future Caucus, the largest cross-partisan organization of young elected leaders in the U.S.