The crowds gather digital pitchforks raised high whenever someone dares to step across the invisible line and engage with “the other side.”
We’ve created a bizarre paradox. While championing diversity and inclusion, we’ve somehow decided that intellectual diversity is off-limits. Cross the aisle for a conversation? Prepare for backlash. Share a stage with someone who holds opposing views? Watch your reputation crumble.
But this instinct to condemn dialogue is precisely what cements the walls between us. Each time we attack someone for reaching across the divide, we reinforce the very tribalism we claim to fight against.
The most impactful voices throughout history weren’t those who stayed safely within their circles – they were the ones who ventured out and risked criticism to build bridges. They understood that change doesn’t happen in echo chambers.
True influence isn’t about maintaining ideological purity. It’s about having the courage to engage, to listen, to challenge and be challenged. We don’t protect our values when we punish this courage – we suffocate them.
Next time you feel that knee-jerk reaction to someone engaging with the “wrong” people, pause. Ask yourself: Are you defending principles, or are you defending walls?
The strongest ideas don’t need protection from dialogue. They thrive on it.
