Polarized? - Part 1 - a podcast by Justin Ahn

Why is America so divided? — This is the question political junkies are answering when we talk about political polarization.

Firstly, while the country is polarized, it might not necessarily be becoming more polarized. From a historical viewpoint, this era has the least tension, but in the past, differences weren't necessarily sorted out in politics and along party lines. Also, nowadays we include more people, so previously silenced dissent is now being heard. Additionally, polarization is asymmetrical—Republicans a whole lot more than Democrats—and the US system over-represents a conservative minority compared to countries like the UK, meaning the population isn't as polarized as Washington.

Once we've established that polarization is, to a degree, a myth, I begin to explore the causes of political division. Terrible political media, incentivized by revenue generated from conflict and controversy, as well as the illusion of bipartisanship, draws the craziest people into politics. The episode ends here, with more causes to be unveiled next week.

For more detail, listen to the full episode. This episode is loosely based on Ezra Klein's book, Why We're Polarized.

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