We humans are social animals naturally driven to form close-knit groups. All too often though
these groups become partisan. They start to compete with one another. They become mutually
hostile. Why does this happen? And what can be done to counter the tendency In Poles Apart an
expert on polarisation a behavioural scientist and a professional communicator explain why we
are so prone to be drawn into rival often deeply antagonistic factions. They explore the
shaping force of our genetic make-up on our fundamental views and the nature of the influences
that family friends and peers exert. They pinpoint the economic and political triggers that
tip people from healthy disagreement to dangerous hostility and the part played by social
media in spreading entrenched opinions. And they help us to understand why outlooks that can
seem so bizarre and extreme to us seem so eminently sensible to those who hold them. Above all
by meticulously showing how and why polarisation affects every part of our lives - influencing
everything from our friendship circles to our approach to health issues - they show what
practical and effective steps we can all take to narrow divisions build respect for others
and create a greater degree of common understanding.
