Confronting what divides us
We've forgotten how to disagree. The American experiment was built on dissent, debate, and the idea that competing views could sharpen our collective thinking, writes National Liberty Museum CEO.
In America today, neighbors who once bonded over backyard barbecues now avoid eye contact over yard signs. Thanksgiving tables, once the site of debates about cranberry sauce, have become battlegrounds for political ideology. And social media — initially a tool to connect — now amplifies division, filtering facts through partisan lenses and eroding nuance.
This climate of division isn’t confined to the internet. It’s reinforced by political and media voices who apply their principles selectively. Republicans condemned the use of executive authority as overreach yet now embrace expansion of executive power under the current administration.
Likewise, Democrats who once championed sweeping federal mandates now invoke states’ rights to counter Republican initiatives.
The American experiment was never predicated on agreement.
Meanwhile, some media outlets have amplified these double standards by scrutinizing their “ideological opponents” while giving those they consider allies a pass.
The result isn’t accountability — it’s deeper polarization and a public that no longer knows whom to trust. At the National Liberty Museum, where I serve as president and CEO, we see this as a call to action.
Liberty requires more than legal protections — it requires a shared commitment to discourse. And dialogue, especially in a pluralistic democracy, demands courage, vulnerability, and willingness to be uncomfortable.
The American experiment was never predicated on agreement. It was built on dissent, debate, and the idea that competing views could sharpen our collective thinking. Our founders often clashed — sometimes bitterly — but they knew democracy wasn’t about unanimity. It was about participation, persuasion, and pluralism. Ideas succeeded not because they silenced opposition but because they were tested through rigorous, respectful discourse.
That tradition is under strain.
Polarization has made it harder — and riskier — to talk across divides. We’ve all seen it: friendships lost to political disagreements, colleagues avoiding tough conversations, family gatherings marred by silence. The issue isn’t that we disagree — it’s that we’ve forgotten how to disagree constructively.
That’s why at the museum we’ve created “Let’s Talk: Confronting What Divides Us,” a new exhibition that puts conversation at the center. It’s not about persuading someone to change their mind. It’s about practicing skills that allow us to show up better: curiosity, humility, and resilience.
With the help of an AI-powered interactive (itself the subject of strong opinions and sharp divides), visitors engage in simulated dialogues on polarizing topics. They receive real-time feedback on how to better listen, empathize, and engage without escalation. These tools don’t tell you what to think. They help you consider how to think in conversation with others.
Because the ability to hold a difficult conversation is not just a personal asset — it’s a civic responsibility.
And we’re already seeing what happens when we lose that skill. Polarization has fueled unrest, misinformation, and even violence. It enables extremism. It rewards outrage over inquiry. And it sends the wrong message to the next generation — that disengagement or dogma are our only options.
But we can do better.
We must equip young people to think critically, research responsibly, and debate with empathy. We must create more opportunities — physical and digital — where disagreement is met not with fear but with curiosity. And we must recognize that diverse perspectives are not a threat to progress. They are the engine of it.
So, the next time you find yourself in a tough conversation, don’t shut it down. Lean in. Ask questions. Listen generously. Speak truthfully. And most importantly, stay at the table.
Because liberty isn’t just the right to speak. It’s the responsibility to listen — and the courage to connect across differences.
If we can model that — in our homes, schools, workplaces, and communities — we have a chance to rebuild trust, strengthen civic life, and remind ourselves what freedom truly demands.
Alaine K. Arnott is the president and CEO of the National Liberty Museum in Philadelphia. She has more than two decades of for-profit and nonprofit leadership experience.