Defusing American Anger: A depolarization endeavor

Defusing American Anger: A depolarization endeavor

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I work on reducing political contempt — and yet I have contempt for Trump. Is that a contradiction?
Polarization means there will be much contempt and anger. The question is what we do with those feelings.
 • Zachary Elwood
Learn how news platform Aemula hopes to reduce polarization
A visual demo of Aemula from its visionary creator Don Templeman
 • Zachary Elwood
Groups in conflict inevitably have differences. Recognizing this can lower our contempt.
This is not a chess game; groups have different ways of moving.
 • Zachary Elwood
A Short Course for Navigating and Defusing Toxic Conflict
Resources for those who wish to disagree and advocate in healthier, less polarizing ways or mediate others' toxic conflicts
 • Zachary Elwood
Like my polarization work? Vote for me in this essay contest
Contest ends at midnight tonight; appreciate your help
 • Zachary Elwood
A polarized nation is volatile, at risk of being destabilized by non-representative acts of violence
How we build our narratives that "The other side are the violent ones!"
 • Zachary Elwood
When in conflict, we craft elaborate, false, and conflict-amplifying stories about our adversaries and our allies
Humans are storytellers, but our emotions when in conflict lead us to weave simplistic and conflict-amplifying stories
 • Zachary Elwood
Defusing American Anger: A depolarization endeavor
Defusing American Anger: A depolarization endeavor
Thoughts for people interested in reducing political toxicity and us-vs-them thinking. By Zachary Elwood, author of "Defusing American Anger" and "How Contempt Destroys Democracy," and host of the psych podcast People Who Read People.
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Defusing American Anger: A depolarization endeavor

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