Polarized = paralyzed

Tribal thinking leads to a paralyzed society, stuck and unable to respond to our pressing needs

Jerry is my homeless friend. I chat with him at my volunteer site where I cook and hand out food at a homeless shelter once a month. He sits for hours on a concrete wall by the roadside, thousand mile stare, slightly rocking back and forth. He has mental health issues. People see him from their cars and probably think he’s at rest, not much going on in his head. On the contrary: his thoughts are flying around fast and furious so that he’s paralyzed and can’t focus on anything for long enough to start and finish simple tasks. He’s like America.

Joanne B decides it’s time to step forward and contact the police about a sexual harassment / misconduct incident that happened to her several years ago and her trauma just won’t go away. The process is harrowing — filing the report and answering questions from the reporting officer ; she’s flooded with self-doubt, guilt about her imagined fault in the matter, fear of repercussions and shaming, and embarrassment as friends and family members get the news. As the news spreads, so the chatter begins, and opinions abound. The ‘red’ people will cast doubt on her credibility, while the ‘blue’ people immediately assume guilt without trial. Despite all the flurry, nothing that happens next is good for Joanne.