Better Angels: The Organization Out to Fight Polarization

“Even if you continue to disagree on 90% of the issues, if you have a little bit of trust, understanding, and empathy, you might find common ground on that 10% or wherever you do have some agreement.”

Better Angels is a nonprofit organization fighting the current climate of political polarization in the United States. Founded in 2016 by David Blankenhorn following the presidential election, this grassroots movement hosts workshops in communities across the country that bring people with opposing political viewpoints together to discuss their differences and find common ground. On August 15th, Merion West spoke with Better Angels’ Director of Communications, Ciaran O’Connor, about the organization’s founding, its efforts to build relationships across partisan lines, and factors contributing to polarization.

Where did the idea for Better Angels come from?

Our founder, David Blankenhorn, had been concerned about polarization for a couple of years. The 2016 election, which was preceded by a very divisive and rancorous campaign season, really brought that issue to light.

We wanted to see whether we could bring together the two sides in a constructive manner. We worked with Bill Doherty, who is a professor at the University of Minnesota and one of the country’s foremost family therapists, to design a workshop that would enable people to reach across the divide to understand each other’s perspectives, clarify agreements, and reduce the reflexive demonization that we see so much today.

He designed a workshop that’s rooted in family therapy. He specializes with couples on the brink of divorce. This workshop is structured very well to enable people to understand each other in their own words. It’s not about debating the issues, or getting anyone to change their mind, but giving people the opportunity to build a little trust and illuminate common ground where it exists.