Americans are exhausted — by our divisions, our politics, and a media landscape that thrives on tearing us apart. When asked to envision our ideal future, Americans say they want to connect and be united. But how do we get there?
I believe most Americans not only want to know their neighbors but to be good neighbors.
I was born and raised in Gary, Indiana, a city of stark contrasts at the crossroads of America. From the house where I grew up, roads in one direction led to endless cornfields and predominantly white farming communities, and roads in the other direction led to abandoned steel mills and predominantly Black neighborhoods.
By virtue of where I was raised, I grew accustomed to meeting people from many walks of life. But today, we have fewer opportunities to engage with others whose races, religions, classes, and politics differ from our own. In part, this is because so much of our daily lives takes place in a virtual world — we bank online, order groceries from our phones, and spend less time in public spaces. And, if we’re honest, we might see ways in which we separate ourselves from others who are different from us — by choosing to live in communities that are largely segregated across economic, political, and racial grounds, and by retreating into digital echo chambers that reinforce our existing beliefs.
I can’t help but find myself wondering: Is this really how we want to live?