The post-pandemic world is marked by sharp divisions between groups based on masks, vaccines, and work status. These political hatreds have invaded personal lives in communities everywhere, turning neighbors against each other. This piece examines how such conflicts affect us all.
In the aftermath of the pandemic, society has become deeply divided along lines of in-group and out-group. People are labeled as clean or unclean, with us or against us. Hostile emotions drive constant searches for targets, corrupting daily interactions with political hatred. This fractured state has made trust rare in many places.
These splits appeared in many forms during the crisis. There were the masked and the unmasked, the vaccinated and the unvaccinated, and essential workers versus nonessential ones. What started as a national debate quickly entered personal spaces and strained relationships in small towns and cities alike. Friends and families found themselves on opposite sides of these debates, affecting daily routines from shopping to gatherings.
The result is that our town is every town. The same conflicts play out in neighborhoods across the country. Political hatreds have found local targets, making everyday life tense and uncertain. Healing these rifts will take time and effort from all sides to restore unity and understanding.
Original Author: Lucio Saverio Eastman | Source: Brownstone Institute
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