Research proves the point
A series of research surveys and polls shows, as this interesting Axios article puts it, “a striking amount of agreement on some very big topics,” including about various fundamental rights, financial and economic issues, and even many social issues.
And per the prior point about how the media presents things, look closely at the numbers in this large AP/NORC poll, and see if you agree with the opening line that “The public is divided…”
Analytically, I hate to break it to whoever wrote that line, but what I see in the numbers is a minority of actual issues on which we are very divided and more on which we disagree by relatively few percentage points. The places of huge and stark disagreement are mostly about how we view people on “the other side.”
And this brings me to another important data set. A robust research study, conducted by the non-partisan think tank Populace found that we have much more common ground than we think—in part because what we say publicly doesn’t always match what we believe privately.
Called the Social Pressure Index, the research found that people privately agree on many/most issues. Including sensitive cultural topics (think: abortion, school choice, immigration, voter ID requirements). On two-thirds of the issues studied, 90% of demographic groups are privately on the same side!! It’s just that many share different views publicly due to virtue signaling, fear of offending, or other reasons.
Now, don’t misunderstand: that means that on one-third of sensitive issues, there is much broader disagreement. But again—those issues are in the minority.
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