In past years, keeping politics out of the way of relationships with others was an easy task. Recently, however, the gap between democrats and republicans has spread too wide, and some think it will end in chaos. 

As the problems of the world grow in urgency, everyone seems to have their own opinion on how to solve them. People with liberal views are growing more left, and people with conservative views are pushing towards the right. This increasing distance between the values of people come with the growth of negative feelings people have toward each other. 

One cause of this polarization in America includes a rise in political activism. People are pushing for policies that align with their views, and not only do people then have to choose a side to the policy, but people tend to dislike those who disagree with their views on the policies. 

“There’s a big disconnect between the politicians of this nation and the people of this nation,” said senior Carson Vernon. “The people want very different things from what legislators and politicians are putting in place.” 

Another cause of political polarization is the increased use of media across the U.S. As people become more aware of topics through social media, television and the Internet, they can develop their own opinions on these topics and find themselves aligning with certain political ideals while drawing away from others. 

“The sides have become so distant from each other,” said senior Kendall Culpepper. “Social media is saying one thing and your parents are saying another thing, leading you to have all these influences and groups that are telling you what to believe.” 

Although the division in politics has sparked more meaning in a voter’s choice and made people more passionate about what they believe in, politicians have a hard time coming up with the best solution, and legislation seems to gridlock in these situations. This makes it difficult for beneficial things to get done in the U.S.  

Politics should not be the deciding factor in personal relationships. People can have different views, but the current polarization has become too intense. It’s time to find a solution to this looming problem.