At some point, we were taught a rule:
Don’t talk about politics or religion.
It sounds harmless. Even polite.
But look at where that has led us.
We are more divided than ever, and at the same time, less willing to have real conversations than ever before.
That didn’t happen by accident.
When people stop talking, they stop understanding each other. And when that happens, it becomes easy to divide them. It becomes easy to convince one group that the other is extreme, dangerous, or even wrong at their core.
Silence creates space for narratives to take over.
Because if you never actually hear someone else’s perspective, you’re left with whatever version of them you’re being shown, and that version is often incomplete, distorted, and designed to create conflict.
That is how division grows.
And it works.
When conversations disappear, people don’t challenge what they’re being told. They don’t compare viewpoints. They don’t ask questions. They just accept what they hear and the divide gets deeper.
But the moment people start talking again that changes.
When you sit down with someone and actually have a conversation, it becomes much harder to believe they are the “enemy.” You hear their reasoning. You see their perspective. You may not agree, but you understand.
And understanding breaks down division.
That’s exactly why these conversations matter.
If we want a stronger country, we have to push back against the idea that these topics are off-limits. Politics and religion are not things to avoid, they are some of the most important conversations we can have.
But we have to have them the right way.
Respectfully. Thoughtfully. Willing to listen, not just respond.
Because this isn’t just about us.
Our children are watching.
If they see silence, they will disengage.
If they see hostility, they will repeat it.
But if they see respectful, honest conversations – even when people disagree – they will learn how to stay involved without becoming divided.
That is how we change direction.
We don’t fix division by avoiding each other.
We fix it by talking again.