In a world where ideological walls are being built faster than they can be torn down, it’s easy to feel pessimistic about the future. How can we keep unity alive in a divided world? If you have friends who support different political parties, it might seem like there is no way to remain friends with both of them. But maintaining friendships across ideological divides is possible. The key is to focus on the things that unite you rather than what divides you. Here are five ways to keep unity in a divided world and strengthen friendships at the same time.
Focus on your similarities
The most basic way to keep unity in a divided world is to focus on your similarities rather than your differences. In a study of interpersonal communication, researchers found that most people focus on similarities rather than differences when talking to someone with whom they disagree. It’s easy to get lost in the weeds of ideological disagreements, but one way to come back to your feet is to focus on your similarities. You may notice a lot of things you agree on once you start looking for them. These commonalities may be superficial, but they can help you focus on the things that unite you rather than what divides you. Communicating with others about the ways in which you are similar to them can help build bridges between you and your ideological opposites. You can use these similarities to build a rapport with your ideological opposites and start a deeper conversation.
Have honest conversations
If you want to keep unity in a divided world and strengthen your friendships, having honest conversations can be an important part of that process. To have an honest conversation, you need to be open to the fact that you may experience discomfort. As Thomas Jefferson once said, “If you want to make new friends, you have to let go of old ones.” It is important that you are open to hearing your friend’s point of view. Even if you disagree, you must be open to your friend’s perspective. You also must be willing to share your point of view. You and your friend should be engaged in a discussion rather than a monologue. You can ease the tension of having an honest conversation by going out for coffee or grabbing a drink with your friend. These types of low-stakes settings can make it easier to have a difficult conversation.
Don’t take it personally
When friends disagree with each other, it is easy to take the disagreement personally. This is especially true if you’re in the minority and your friend — someone you care deeply about — doesn’t agree with you. You can avoid taking disagreements personally in a few ways. First, try not to take things personally when you are in the majority. If you are in the majority among your friends, it is easy to become defensive when someone in your friend group disagrees with you. But you are not under attack. One way to do this is to acknowledge that not everyone has the same experiences as you. While you may be passionate about certain issues, others may not have the same passion. They may be less knowledgeable and passionate about those issues. It is important not to take it personally when someone disagrees with you in these areas.
Be proud of your friendship
When you’re in a friendship with someone who disagrees with you on fundamental issues, it is easy to feel shame about your relationship. You may worry that your friends would disapprove of your friendship with someone who supports a different political party. But you should be proud of your friendship with someone who disagrees with you. It is a rare thing to have a friendship with someone on the other side of the ideological spectrum. It is important to remember that your friendships with people who disagree with you are valuable. Your friendships are important to you, but they are also important to the people you are friends with. Your friendships are important to the health of your community. Your friendships can help unite a divided world.
Take action to make the world a better place
As you strengthen your friendships with people who disagree with you, you may want to think about ways you can unite your community with others outside your community. One way you can do this is by taking action to make the world a better place. You don’t have to take action on every political issue. But you can take action on at least one thing that your community can do to make the world a better place. You can organize a charity fundraising event with your friends. You can also simply be part of a group that is taking action on something you believe in. You can do something as simple as putting up a poster in your community that promotes understanding. You can also be part of a campaign to hold a public event designed to bring people together.
Conclusion
The world seems to become more divided every day. One way we can combat this is by keeping unity in a divided world. This requires people on both sides of the ideological spectrum to work together and understand one another. Keeping unity in a divided world is not easy. It takes time, effort, and commitment to maintaining friendships across ideological divides. But the rewards are worth it.
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