From inside our classrooms to the average post on X, American society constantly highlights  our differences. Political polarization has become a buzz-word in our daily lives, encapsulating the growing sense among Americans that the United States is more fragmented than ever. In the inherently collaborative system of government that is democracy, the question of our age is simple: how do we overcome our perceived divisions?

The answer is simple: trust. To work together, we need to add trust to our social networks and information ecosystem and reduce our contempt for those who disagree with us. 

Currently, most Americans have an overblown and distorted sense that those belonging to the opposite political party are a threat to their well-being. This belief leads to a “win at all costs” mentality that drives divisive sociopolitical behavior and prevents good faith bipartisanship. The fear and loathing we feel towards neighbors, friends, family members, leaders, and fellow Americans with different political views results in the proliferation of “hateful and dehumanizing rhetoric” which catalyzes political violence. And this cycle of threat, fear, and violence means that both Democrats and Republicans are increasingly viewing each other as close-minded, dishonest, immoral, unintelligent, and lazy.

These trends pose undeniable dangers, and we can only overcome them by uniting across our differences and seeing one another as compatriots rather than opponents. Of course, such a goal is challenging and complex—but it is possible. Groups such as More Like US are actively working towards a more trusting society by highlighting the political issues we agree on and creating social media posts promoting the CAST framework. CAST content shows how individuals across the political spectrum are far more complex, admirable, similar, and worthy of togetherness than we expect. 

This system aims to combat the four main obstacles to trust: stereotyping the other side, seeing them as morally or cognitively inferior, believing that there is no common ground, and thinking that collaboration would not be worthwhile. It highlights how demographics and politics do not always align and provides examples of admirable actions across the aisle. It underscores shared identities and interests between the parties, and calls attention to bipartisan cooperation. In doing so, the CAST system creates the foundation for inter-political trust and actively combats distorted, polarizing perceptions of both parties.

So whether you’re an activist, community organizer, future politician, or simply someone who wants to live in a thriving democracy, you must move towards trust and away from interpersonal scorn. Seek to CAST the other side in a better light and encourage others to do the same, for that is the only way that we can escape the peril of polarization and turn towards a more robust, more united democracy.