Amid division, let’s unite around human progress

By Clay Routledge 
Real Clear Wire

As Americans, we have accepted division as par for the course. Whether it is President Trump’s 100 days or cultural issues, “division” itself may be the most overused word in America.

The constant drumbeat of cultural conflicts and partisan standoffs creates an impression that we are irreconcilably split into opposing camps, lacking common ground on which to build a shared future. Yet beyond the political labels or the “culture war” dominating our discourse, Americans share fundamental attitudes about human progress that can unite us around a positive, solutions-focused national identity.

Americans disagree on many issues, and often do so publicly. This is normal and healthy in a free, pluralistic, and dynamic nation. We don’t need to agree on everything to have a flourishing society. In fact, we should celebrate the individual liberty and diversity of thought that animates our country. We do, however, need a shared positive national identity that connects and inspires Americans across our differences.

American culture champions individualism, but Americans are still human, and humans are tribal by nature. These tribal tendencies can cause division and conflict, but the same tendencies also play a central role in bringing us together around shared goals. Throughout history, being able to organize ourselves in groups and coordinate behavior in the pursuit of common causes has led to remarkable scientific, technological, artistic, and humanitarian accomplishments. The key is to find ways to harness our tribal nature toward broader, more unifying group identities and narratives rather than narrower, more divisive ones.

One powerful strategy involves the cultivation of what social psychologists refer to as a superordinate group identity. This is a shared identity that unites smaller, even antagonistic groups under a larger umbrella. When individuals privilege this superordinate identity over narrower group identities, they become better able to value and connect with those whom they might otherwise distrust. Embracing a superordinate identity helps us work cooperatively to address shared problems and improves their own thinking about complex issues by increasing their openness to other viewpoints.

This raises a crucial question: Which shared perspectives might Americans hold across political divides that could provide an inspiring foundation for a unifying superordinate national identity? Our team recently launched a project called Progress Pulse, through which we regularly survey Americans about how they think and feel about historical achievements, their expectations, fears, and hopes for the future, as well as their beliefs about the role they play in improving the world. Through this ongoing research, we are discovering positive, progress-oriented attitudes and beliefs that transcend political categories.

For example, in one recent survey, we examined how Americans think about historical progress. The results revealed remarkable consensus: Nearly nine in 10 Americans (89%) express gratitude for the efforts of past generations that contributed to today’s quality of life. Similar numbers believe historical stories provide reason to expect we can overcome today’s challenges (86%) and offer valuable guidance for building a better future (89%). Moreover, 83% report feeling inspired by the efforts and accomplishments of previous generations to make their own contributions that will benefit future generations. Critically, these numbers remain consistently high across political affiliations. 

In a similar Progress Pulse survey, we found unity in how Americans view their personal roles in creating a better world. Most believe they have both the power (74%) and responsibility (79%) to use their abilities, talents, and skills to improve the world. Again, these numbers remained consistent regardless of political affiliation.

The shared underlying orientations toward progress could serve as valuable building blocks for cultivating a solutions-focused superordinate American identity. Americans are united in their gratitude for historical progress, their belief in its guiding and motivational value, and their sense of personal capability and responsibility for continued advancement.

Other surveys show that Americans across the political spectrum harbor significant anxieties about the future and share a pessimistic outlook about our national trajectory. However, recognizing and emphasizing shared positive attitudes toward progress might foster conditions for more constructive engagement across divides while enhancing our capacity to address significant national challenges. 

The path forward isn’t to ignore our differences or pretend they don’t matter. Rather, it is to recognize that they constitute only part of our national story. These differences and the negative expectations many have for America’s future exist alongside important underlying positive attitudes that unite us across political divides.

By shifting more attention toward discovering and highlighting shared attitudes, we can uncover even more psychological common ground – and build a more progress-oriented future. Fixating on division only holds us back.

Clay Routledge is vice president of Research and director of the Human Flourishing Lab at the Archbridge Institute.