I’m excited to begin contributing to Thrive Global. Check out an excerpt of my first article below, or read the full article here.
Arguments erupted over the Thanksgiving dinner table all across America this past week. This was a scene from one friends holiday: Grandpa carved the turkey dinner, waving the knife in the air and fighting off the vitriol about his vote for Trump. Aunt Maureen blasted him and demanded a recount in Wisconsin. All of the cousins swore and shouted; they still support Bernie. Everyone else, including the neighbors, were Hillary supporters, and spent dessert sitting quietly at the children’s table, explaining to them how she won the popular vote.
The recent conflictual Presidential election has divided our country and been a challenge to our most fundamental values. Conflict over freedom, personal rights, respect for differences; these moral distinctions are all at stake with the installation of this new cabinet.
This new reality has created divisiveness between men and women, blacks and whites, Hispanics and Muslims; created arguments on Twitter, ended Facebook friendships, and driven people into the streets to protest. And it has divided our families.
The breakdown of a partnership happens when there is a lack of empathy for the other side.
For half of all married couples in America, the inability to validate feelings can lead to more than a disagreement about voting, it often leads to divorce. The result can be a division of belongings, splitting up of children, and feelings of failure.
And yet divorce is not an option for our country. Even though we feel separated in America, Democrats cannot divorce Republicans. We cannot break up with Donald Trump. Liberals cannot pack up and move out of a conservative political agenda; there is no place to go. We will all have to figure out a way to get along.
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