The Root Cause of Polarization and the Path to Healing

Polarization in the USA today is a serious problem, making constructive dialogue and compromise increasingly difficult. This growing divide is fueled by a wide range of factors, such as partisan media, social media echo chambers, and political leaders who exploit differences for personal gain.

The environment created as a result fuels mistrust, hostility, and a lack of willingness to understand opposing viewpoints, exacerbating societal tensions.

In attempting to solve any problem, one must first identify and acknowledge its root cause. Only then can genuine healing begin.

In a fascinating talk on the subject of the ‘Ten Commandments,’ the Lubavitcher Rebbe offered a most illuminating insight. The Rebbe explained that the words engraved on the two tablets can be read both in a vertical and horizontal order, indicating an intrinsic connection between commandments one and six, two and seven, and so on. This simple teaching profoundly impacts our understanding of morality.

Any moral or ethical code would have no intrinsic value without a sacred absolute that transcends it. As long as human beings determine what constitutes ‘good’ and ‘evil,’ there will inevitably be conflict over its interpretation and application.

Human nature, with all its strengths, has a universal absolute weakness: it is naturally subconsciously biased toward itself. Nothing in the world can change this reality. The reason we have a natural positive bias toward ourselves and people similar to us is that, at our core, lies the impulse of ‘self-preservation.’ Consequently, any entity that is strange to us can be instinctively perceived as a possible threat.

The only way to overcome this fear is by fully acknowledging what is written in the biblical narrative: “In the image of G-d He created him (man).” If each and every human being was created in the image of G-d, then there must be an underlying spirit that unifies all the myriad parts.

A monotheistic faith is the only way to ensure an approach to life guided by the belief that every individual is an intrinsic part of one whole and should not be perceived as a threat.

Following the Crown Heights riots in 1991, the Rebbe reiterated this point in his message to New York City’s Mayor David Dinkins, saying, “It is one side and one people.”

Let’s be honest. We are all guilty of negative bias and prejudice. The only way to overcome this is by allowing our inherent faith in the oneness of G-d and the unity of mankind to become part of our everyday life.

Yosef Vogel