Zero-Sum Thinking: How Philanthropy Can Stoke Division
By Kristen Cambell
The Chronical of Philanthropy
May 2, 2024
"Grant makers are not the primary drivers of toxic polarization. Nor do they intentionally operate as conflict entrepreneurs. But despite our best intentions, we are human and susceptible to habits and behaviors that stoke and fuel toxic polarization…
"Diverse societies need divergence, debate, and even vehement disagreement — we can’t and shouldn’t agree on everything. Polarization is a necessary feature of liberal democracies and a critical ingredient for free markets and civil societies to make hard decisions and address society’s problems.
"But toxic polarization… is something much more than a difference of opinion. It’s when opposing sides come to see their counterparts as “the enemy” and “evil.” It’s when disagreement slides into dehumanization, creating the conditions for identity- and ideology-based hate and violence.
"As this type of polarization grows in America, grant makers are increasingly asking what they can do to bridge divides and build resilience to political violence — this is a good thing. But based on our conversations with practitioners, there may be things philanthropists should stop doing if they want to address polarization.
"Resist these five Polarization Accelerators:
Righteous attitudes… Zero-sum thinking…
Prioritization of ends over means…
Group think, rigidity, and purity tests…
Relationships as tactics…
"None of this is to say philanthropy shouldn’t take bold stances, draw bright lines, and hold true to values, principles, and theories of change. Polarization is natural; it can be a strategic tool. But forcing “sides” can fuel division when there might otherwise be mutuality and common ground…
"The systems and engines of partisanship and high conflict that divide us are pervasive and well-resourced. A social cohesion mind-set in philanthropy will not mitigate all the damage of toxic polarization, but it can showcase that another way of engaging is possible. At the very least, it can make sure we don’t perpetuate the same divisions we are trying to solve."
About Heart of a Nation
Empowering the next generation of American, Israeli, and Palestinian change-makers to embrace better, together.
אנחנו מכנסים הוגים מובילים, פעילים חברתיים, ומחוללי שינוי לעתיד, אמריקאים, ישראלים ופלסטינאים, המחויבים לשיפור החברות שלהם.
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