American society has become increasingly divided, with people sorting themselves into like-minded groups, othering those who disagree, and siloing themselves from opposing viewpoints. The good news is that people are more complex than the labels we assign them. Here we explore tools for fearless curiosity leading to empathetic conversations across ideological lines. Guzmán emphasizes the importance of curiosity, understanding, and human connection in bridging ideological gaps and shares her personal experience of growing up in a politically divided family and the transformative power of asking “How did you come to believe what you believe?” She highlights the need for in-person interactions, attention, and containment in dialogues. and also discusses the role of media in perpetuating polarization and the potential for small-scale conversations to impact larger institutions like politics and media.
