We are talking more and more about social division, or polarization. The public sphere is buzzing with strong likes and dislikes toward political parties, and with conflicting views on various sensitive issues. Although discussion and diversity of opinion are the foundation of democracy, the public sphere is seeing less healthy criticism of decisions, actions, or ideas, and more adjective-based talk about the people making decisions or proposing ideas.
Social fault lines are created by topics where clear “us” and “them” groups can be identified around emotionally charged issues. At the highest point of tension, different camps start labeling each other: anti-vaxxers and vaxxers, vatniks and conservative-niks, rotten elite and peasants, and so on.
Labels are only the tip of the iceberg – many “smaller” topics do not reach such a level of tension. Still, in a context saturated with tensions and oppositions, any division of society into two clear groups can become an additional fault line. Especially when one side takes on the role of the all-knowing authority or the righteous one, while the other side is left with <…>
Read more: https://www.lrt.lt/naujienos/verslo-pozicija/692/2918327/giedre-zurbaite-pensiju-reforma-viesojoje-erdveje-zibalas-i-poliarizacijos-lauza
