Unlearning Us vs. Them

How labeling takes away our empathy.

Something that worries me is how easily we separate humanity into “us” vs. “them.”

• Democrats vs. Republicans

• Educated vs. Uneducated

• Straight vs. LGBTQ+

We often look at people through binary lenses, deciding whether they’re “with us” or not. And the more we reinforce these labels, the more we start to see others as inherently different, making empathy almost impossible.

It’s the same tactic our government uses to justify dropping bombs on children, putting immigrants in cages, and filling prisons at any cost. As long as someone is portrayed as an “enemy” to our agenda, we can distance ourselves from the suffering we cause.

After another tragic election, I’m disappointed at how this same ideology is continuing to divide America. Pointing fingers and spreading blame only deepens the divide between us all.

While it may seem well-intentioned to tell people they are “wrong,” we are simply invalidating another person’s lived experiences and beliefs. I struggle myself at times to openly listen to a family member who voted differently, but everyone’s perspective adds value to a conversation.

More than half the country isn’t lesser for expressing different political beliefs. In fact, there are plenty of valid concerns that need to be addressed. If we continue to write off other people’s opinions, I don’t understand how we’ll ever be able to find common ground.

I don’t want to downplay the gravity of these election results—I’m disappointed, anxious, and aware that an uphill battle must be fought.

But at the same time, I believe there’s an opportunity to show more compassion toward people with different beliefs. If we truly want to inspire change, we need to start by unlearning these “us” vs. “them” labels that drive us so far apart.