Ideological silos

I walked by the husband and wife and smiled at the hardware store yesterday. He returned the smile, she grimaced and would not look me in the eye. The hatred she exuded was a palpable thing, even though we had barely ever interacted.

Wealthy, I had seen them around a few fundraisers and Art Center functions and don't think I had ever been unpleasant. But you never know. Maybe it was what I represent to them? Or the false rumor going around last year that I hated christians.

The town is getting wealthier and more conservative and I am neither. And I don't go to church. My wife heard whispers a few months ago that some women wouldn't shop at her store because she was a (shudder) liberal. Her retort was that they could take their business elsewhere. And I don't really care to hang out with nasty people either.

A new Pew poll out that shows that Americans increasingly do not want to live or fraternize with those of the opposite political persuasion, Political Polarization in the American Public.

It is a shame really. Many of my best friends are staunch Republicans and it has never got in the way of our friendship or frivolity. We agree to disagree. My own beliefs are closer to the center. But the center is becoming an increasingly lonely place to be. And what were once mere differences of opinion are becoming increasingly weaponized.

We don't just dislike each other, we now loathe each other. Another good article on the subject with a really good graphic at Axios, How American Politics went Batshit Crazy. It breaks down some of the factors that led to the current ideological civil war. Sad state of affairs.