What do you think accounts for the rise in incivility?

[Bigmack]

3. Two countries...

I think it goes deeper than politics. We've become two countries. I think the anti-science and anti-intellectual and anti-reason forces in this country have grown much stronger. 30% of Republicans believe that Obama is a Muslim. More people in this country believe in angels than in evolution. 15% of Americans believe the sun revolves around the earth. We have members of Congress on the Science committee who say that evolution and the Big Bang are satanic ideas.

We are two countries.

One country is Belief oriented....the only thing that counts is what your gut and heart tells you. They believe what they want regardless of facts. They are susceptible to meaningless phrases, stereotypes, symbols, irrational biases, and simplistic diagnoses and solutions that play on their hopes and fears.

The other country is Reality/Fact based... facts count, and emotions less so. The two countries are miles apart. There can be little compromise on abortion, for example, if one side believes their god forbids it, while the other side says the decision is up to the individual, and not an occult being. Us lefties simply will not compromise with people who base their world view on myths.

If the two countries in the US were a married couple, any counselor would tell us to get a divorce.