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A review by ramossnr
Why We're Polarized by Ezra Klein
3.0
After Donald Trump's election, I was stunned and sought out many books to help me understand what happened (including the excellent [b:Strangers in Their Own Land|28695425|Strangers in Their Own Land Anger and Mourning on the American Right|Arlie Russell Hochschild|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1470283600l/28695425._SY75_.jpg|48893201], which provides a very helpful meta narrative of the American right that I think of to this day). Ezra Klein's book, published a little over three years after the 2016 election, seeks to explicate why there is a chasm between those on the left and right in the US. I found the book snappy and engaging. Klein includes lots of sociological research (and lots of study summaries, which I love) support to his analysis. I'll share a few tidbits that surprised me...
One concept I hadn't thought much about: the influence of group identity on how each political party approaches the game of legislating. Early in the book he claims:
Another point Klein made that surprised me (illuminated by several studies): “We are so locked into our political identities that there is virtually no candidate, no information, no condition, that can force us to change our minds. We will justify almost anything or anyone so long as it helps our side, and the result is a politics devoid of guardrails, standards, persuasion, or accountability.” While I've long heard of (and experienced myself) confirmation bias, I didn't realize that sociological phenomena has such a strong pull on us. I'd like to think that when presented with compelling policy, I'd accept it regardless of party, but the study Klein cites say no.
One big element was missing from Klein's analysis: social media. Having recently read [b:The Chaos Machine|58950736|The Chaos Machine The Inside Story of How Social Media Rewired Our Minds and Our World|Max Fisher|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1632076475l/58950736._SX50_.jpg|92907286], I couldn't help but connect much of Klein's focus on political identity and group acceptance to how social media algorithms leverage those sociological phenomena to keep us engaged. Social media platforms want us to stay outraged and posting, so their algorithms prioritize content that causes emotionally charged responses.
Overall, this is a well written book, and if you've not engaged with other writing on these concepts, I think it's a good introduction. I've read a number of books along these lines in the last few years, so I wouldn't have missed out if I skipped it. No regrets, but not a book I'll revisit.
One concept I hadn't thought much about: the influence of group identity on how each political party approaches the game of legislating. Early in the book he claims:
When a division exists inside a party, it gets addressed through suppression or compromise. Parties don’t want to fight among themselves. But when a division exists between the parties, it gets addressed through conflict.Republican's one coalition (conservative white people who are feeling increasingly disenfranchised and marginalized) results in a strongly unified extreme right perspective, and the party doesn't have to mediate those views to satisfy other points of view within the party. Democrats, in contrast, have many coalitions (white liberals, more conservative Black and Hispanic voters as examples) to satisfy, which results in a less extreme, more moderate party voice. Klein connects this coalition idea to how the parties choose to legislate. He says:
A party that keeps losing voters has two choices. It can change itself—its agenda, its standard-bearers, its temperament—to win over new voters. Or it can turn against democracy, using the power it still holds to disenfranchise or weaken the voters who threaten it. The Republican Party, for now, has chosen the second path and chosen it decisively.
Another point Klein made that surprised me (illuminated by several studies): “We are so locked into our political identities that there is virtually no candidate, no information, no condition, that can force us to change our minds. We will justify almost anything or anyone so long as it helps our side, and the result is a politics devoid of guardrails, standards, persuasion, or accountability.” While I've long heard of (and experienced myself) confirmation bias, I didn't realize that sociological phenomena has such a strong pull on us. I'd like to think that when presented with compelling policy, I'd accept it regardless of party, but the study Klein cites say no.
One big element was missing from Klein's analysis: social media. Having recently read [b:The Chaos Machine|58950736|The Chaos Machine The Inside Story of How Social Media Rewired Our Minds and Our World|Max Fisher|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1632076475l/58950736._SX50_.jpg|92907286], I couldn't help but connect much of Klein's focus on political identity and group acceptance to how social media algorithms leverage those sociological phenomena to keep us engaged. Social media platforms want us to stay outraged and posting, so their algorithms prioritize content that causes emotionally charged responses.
Overall, this is a well written book, and if you've not engaged with other writing on these concepts, I think it's a good introduction. I've read a number of books along these lines in the last few years, so I wouldn't have missed out if I skipped it. No regrets, but not a book I'll revisit.