I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times

The publication of I Never Thought of It That Way in 2022 came at a critical moment in American political history, following decades of increasing polarization that transformed how Americans interact across political differences. This polarization created the environment that made Guzmán’s work timely.

The roots of contemporary American political polarization can be traced to the 1970s, when the relative consensus of the post-World War II era began to erode. As Guzmán notes in her book, the period between 1972 and 2000 saw dramatic changes in how political identities aligned with other aspects of American life. During this time, party affiliation became increasingly correlated with geographic location, education level, religious practices, and cultural values—a phenomenon political scientists term “sorting.”

The 1990s marked a significant acceleration of this trend. The emergence of 24-hour cable news networks, talk radio, and increasingly partisan media contributed to what Guzmán identifies as “siloing”—the tendency for people to consume information that confirms their existing beliefs while avoiding contrary perspectives. Newt Gingrich’s 1995 decision to reduce the Congressional workweek from five days to three, which Guzmán specifically references, exemplifies how institutional changes reduced opportunities for cross-party relationship-building.

The advent of social media in the early 2000s dramatically intensified these divisions. By 2021, as Guzmán notes, 72% of American adults used at least one social media platform, with algorithms designed to reinforce existing beliefs and preferences. These digital environments created what she calls “dopamine lollipops”—addictive feedback loops that keep users engaged with content that confirms their existing beliefs while avoiding challenging perspectives.

The 2008 and 2016 presidential elections marked crucial turning points in American political polarization. The 2008 election of Barack Obama initially promised a “post-racial” America, but instead revealed deep racial and political divisions. The 2016 election of Donald Trump further intensified these divisions, with political differences increasingly affecting personal relationships.

The geographic aspect of polarization became particularly pronounced during this period. As Guzmán documents, “landslide counties” in presidential elections—those voting for one party by margins of at least 20 points higher than national results—increased dramatically between 1980 and 2020. This geographic sorting meant that by 2020, 35% of American voters lived in heavily partisan counties, compared to just 4% in 1980 (14).

The COVID-19 pandemic, which emerged just before Guzmán began writing her book, added new dimensions to political polarization. Public health measures like mask mandates and lockdowns became politically charged issues, affecting how Americans viewed their neighbors and community members. Guzmán addresses this through examples like the Facebook users who dehumanized anti-lockdown protesters, contrasting their mockery with the genuine economic concerns expressed by protesters.

The January 6th, 2021 Capitol riot represented a dramatic manifestation of political division, occurring during the period when Guzmán was completing her book. While she doesn’t directly address this event, its shadow looms over her work’s urgent call for better cross-political dialogue and understanding.

Against this historical backdrop, Guzmán’s book responds to a crucial need in American society. Her emphasis on curiosity and understanding rather than persuasion offers an alternative to the confrontational approaches that dominated political discourse in the preceding decades. The book’s focus on maintaining relationships across political differences speaks to a growing recognition that political polarization threatens not just democratic institutions, but also the personal connections that form the fabric of American society.