Dr. Terence Yuen
Former Senior Economist, Bank of Canada

Polarization Eventually Evolves into a “Mega-Identity”

In any free and democratic society, a certain degree of political polarization is perfectly normal, provided it remains a debate over specific issues, such as the social impact of immigration. It is natural for us to support different parties on different topics. However, cracks begin to form when this escalates into pure partisan tribalism, where anything proposed by the opposition is blindly rejected. At its worst, this political divide infiltrates and dictates everyday life. Even mundane choices, such as what movies to watch, what brands to wear, or where to grab coffee, must suddenly align with your political allegiance.

In his book Why We Are Polarized, Ezra Klein introduces the concept of the “mega-identity”. We all juggle multiple roles and identities, such as being a Christian, a father, or a fan of a particular sports team. Two people on opposite ends of the political spectrum can still have a great conversation if they connect over the shared stress of their children’s education. But when a “mega-identity” takes hold, it flattens all our multifaceted identities into a single political stance.

Klein points to the example of NFL player Colin Kaepernick kneeling during the national anthem. That single act instantly politicized the sport, turning the NFL into an anti-Trump symbol. Similarly, Nike received a political label by featuring Kaepernick in an ad campaign. Studies show the ensuing fallout led to a massive boycott of the NFL by Republican voters.

The “Good vs. Evil” Showdown Fueled by Grievance

Once mega-identities dominate a society, the traditional mechanisms for resolving social conflicts begin to buckle. Public trust in the justice system erodes, with courts increasingly viewed as partisan tools. Faith in democratic elections crumbles under the suspicion of behind-the-scenes political manipulation. When a society loses its legitimate, accepted channels for venting grievances, public anger inevitably swells. Suppressed for too long, this frustration naturally manifests as a desire to “eliminate” the other side by whatever means one deems necessary.

For many Christians, however, harboring this kind of visceral hatred creates a profound moral conflict. To rationalize their anger, they instinctively reframe the political dispute as a cosmic battle between good and evil. Only by demonizing the opposition, viewing them as the literal embodiment of evil, can one feel morally justified in wanting to destroy them completely. Consequently, political polarization devolves into a zero-sum, black-and-white holy war between two groups who both believe they are on the side of the angels.

From “Persuading with Reason” to “Seeking Wisdom”

I originally started my YouTube channel to build a bridge of communication in this increasingly resentful and polarized society. I naively thought that by presenting impartial facts alongside rigorous logical arguments, we could bridge our divides. Reality, however, proved to be an exhausting cycle of debates that changed no one’s mind. In some cases, it even backfired, only deepening our mutual animosity.

Over the past few years of continuous reflection, I found surprising insights from two entirely unrelated fields: psychology and artificial intelligence. Modern psychologist Jonathan Haidt argues that human morality is primarily driven by intuition, meaning we only use reason and logic after the fact to rationalize our gut feelings. Similarly, Nobel laureate Geoffrey Hinton, often dubbed the “Godfather of AI”, developed theories showing that artificial intelligence doesn’t rely on traditional, rules-based logic to make judgments. Instead, neural networks synthesize and distill massive amounts of data to arrive at a conclusion.

Both modern psychology and artificial intelligence independently reveal the same truth: judgments of right and wrong are rarely the product of pure logical deduction. Therefore, relying solely on logic and “persuading with reason” to resolve polarized conflicts often just invites endless, futile bickering. We need to let go of our obsession with flawless logic, hard data, and the desire to leave our opponents speechless. Instead, we must learn to express our views without needlessly alienating those who disagree. In a fractured era, distinguishing right from wrong is important, but seeking wisdom is essential. Black and white are cold and absolute; wisdom is a beautiful, warming grace.