The problem with charts such as this (from Edelman's Trust Barometer) is that they portray authoritarian regimes as not polarized--because there is little or no freedom to express dissent. And they lead to the assumption that the most polarized nations are the most troubled when, in fact, they are the ones fighting off authoritarianism because they are threatened by it. Another way to look at this is to see the danger of *not* being polarized.
See this, also from Edelman: Republicans see differences as being insurmountable -- because that is the condition they want: constant, never-ending conflict. But we *all* are then blamed for polarization when some just don't want to get along.
@jeffjarvis when you start with “we support fascism, intolerance, and bigotry” and then claim that others don’t want to find “middle ground”…it’s a specious argument.
@justinmwhitaker @jeffjarvis well after all we're just showing off "how educated and politically correct" we are. Or so I was told last time I tried to have an intelligent conversation with a Republican.
Jeff Jarvis
Justinmwhitaker
Darwin Woodka