I’m not sure what is the basis for the American fascination with dualism but I feel strongly that it does not serve us. American politics is particularly afflicted with dualism, probably because we have only two major parties and political thought is mostly divided into two major categories, conservatism and liberalism. This seeming worship of dualism has led to virulent partisanship in government which has in turn led to motionless gridlock in society’s business of getting things done for the people.

The media is certainly no help in this matter. They play one side off the other and, toward their own ends, overemphasize the differences between parties and people. This concentration on what separates us leaves little room for an honest discussion of what we all have in common, what binds us instead of separates us.

When I think about those on the other end of the political continuum from me I always try to remember that these people love their kids, just like me, they have to take out the trash, just like me, they worry about their health, just like me and any number of other similarities that we, as humans here on planet earth share. Why everyone is so ready to delineate, analyze and emphasize our differences rather than our commonalities is beyond me.

This dualistic approach to nearly everything has caused us to despise each other. Shouldn’t we be looking for that which shows us that we are all in the same boat on this blue sphere. Wouldn’t celebrating our common humanity push us toward solutions that seek to help the many instead of pitting us against each other in a manufactured struggle of polar opposites.

Who knows, we just might get something good done for the world.