ESPOSITO: Differences in opinion do not extend to issues of morality, justice
Column: Unapologetically
“Would you marry a liberal?” As I waited in line for my Starbucks, that is the question I heard the girl in front of me ask her companion. They debated the question for several minutes before their order was ready. One girl decided she could “get past it,” while the other insisted she could not.
After my drink was handed to me by a barista who rolled his eyes at the two girls once they left the establishment, I pondered their conversation.
This was not the first time I have heard a conversation like this in my four years at Rutgers. As one of the largest universities in the nation, it would make sense that there would be a lot of opposing views. I have witnessed protests, then protests against that protest the next day. There are demonstrations, sit-ins and rallies.
That is part of what makes Rutgers the diverse place that it is: the challenges that come with disagreeing with someone. But, based on this conversation and on many others I have observed, it no longer feels like a healthy environment to learn from a different perspective, but rather a place where alliances lie based on beliefs. Is this a bad thing?
Marriages of mixed political parties have been falling dramatically in recent years. In 2016, 30 percent of married couples in the U.S. were politically mixed. In 2020, it fell to 21 percent.
Only 4 percent of those couples were Republicans and Democrats together, according to an article published by The Hill. As this world becomes more polarized than ever, our youth follows suit. The question is, what does this mean for the future of the U.S.?
The evidence is clear: As a society, we are becoming less tolerant of those who do not share our opinions. You only need to glance at social media, flick between Fox News and CNN or listen to Spotify to reach that understanding.
Just this week, it trended internationally on social media to delete Spotify, as several artists removed their music from the platform. They did this to make a statement against Joe Rogan, one of Spotify’s biggest podcasters — who averages about 11 million viewers per episode.
He has been known for spreading potentially harmful misinformation about the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and the vaccine, one of the most polarizing topics in today's society.
It has reached a point where many of us cannot even coexist on the same music platform due to contrasting beliefs. So, “opposites attract” may be a thing of the past.
In times like these, we look to our young adults — Generation Z — for a glimpse of where society may be headed. Judging by that conversation in Starbucks and many others, it seems to become even more polarized. Politics is no longer just politics. Its meaning has evolved, just like social media has — and now more than ever — people of all ages have access to worldwide, instantaneous information.
When everything you need to know to make informed decisions is essentially handed to you on a silver platter through social media, it would be extremely ignorant and difficult to not care.
We are now able to glimpse acts of injustice throughout the world. We are now able to see the repercussions of climate change, what happens to those who do not have access to Planned Parenthood, the effects of racial inequality across the U.S. How do you not let that affect your decision-making?
Yes, political polarization is a problem in the U.S. And yes, it is good for your beliefs and views on situations to be challenged.
But I do not think not wanting to surround yourself with people who are ignorant toward issues you really care about should be an issue. If you have witnessed firsthand the problems of race in the U.S., how can you stand to have somebody tell you differently?
As political and social movements have erupted across social media in recent years, being political no longer means studying up on McCarthyism or the filibuster. Everybody now has an opinion. And as these opinions shift to morals and tightly grounded beliefs, maybe it is okay to surround yourself with like-minded people.
Laura Esposito is in the School of Arts and Sciences senior majoring in journalism and political science. Her column, "Unapologetically," runs on alternate Tuesdays.
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