“We can disagree and still love each other, unless your disagreement is rooted in my oppression and denial of my humanity and right to exist,” – James Baldwin. 

In a country seemingly at odds, the media often pits Republicans and Democrats against each other and paints conservatives and progressives at odds. But this does not have to become a reality in our everyday lives.

I believe it is possible to be friends with people who do not share the same political views as you. Friendships are formed over mutual respect, commonalities and positive social interactions. These components do not necessarily transfer into one’s political identity. 

Social media creates a false reality that amplifies extreme views and creates echo chambers. Users of these apps often only interact with people with the same political views. In doing so, they are limiting their perspectives. 

Echo chambers are detrimental to overall perception and communication because they reduce critical thinking and create an “us versus them” mentality, where people are encouraged to only identify with those of similar views and shun people with opposing views. 

When political affiliation becomes a marker of identity, it creates division in society, making it seem impossible to form common ground with people from different ideological backgrounds. 

“Social media limits my perspective on politics; you’re seeing a narrow view on what you believe and when you look at the other side it’s a more radical point of view,” DePaul freshman Thomas Moore said. 

In recent years there has been an increase in people openly displaying their political affiliations, which can lead to others making immediate judgements.

“We’ve also seen a trend in the last decade of people not just disliking the opposite party, but also disliking the people in that party,” Malia Brown, a political science professor at DePaul, said. “Increased numbers (since 2016) of Americans report that they believe members of the opposite party are more immoral, closed-minded, dishonest, and unintelligent.” ]

Contrary to what the media displays, people with opposing political views can still have the same core values. Though it is easy to let your political opinion define you, it does not have to. 

For example, two people with differing opinions on the economy can both value justice, equality and freedom. They can maintain civil discourse surrounding politics because of their shared values and mutual respect. Even though they have the same values, they can come to different positions on an issue. 

“I do have friends with different political views as me, but I think it does come down to a matter of values a lot of the time,” DePaul freshman Meredith Morgan said. “I do think there’s a certain level to which I can disagree with people before it comes to the point where I couldn’t be friends with them.”

People with the same opinion are not automatically friends. Friendship is much deeper. As Baldwin said, “we can disagree and still love each other.” The core of friendship is not just agreeing on every issue but learning to appreciate the other person as a whole, even when you disagree. The quote reminds us that friendships can only thrive as long as the two parties respect each other.

However, the rest of the quote reads, “…unless your disagreement is rooted in my oppression and denial of my humanity and right to exist.” 

There are times when political views are rooted in values that are fundamentally opposed. If someone’s political views deny basic human rights, it is not a simple difference of opinion – it is an existential threat. 

In 2020, I first got interested in politics and discovered I disagreed with one of my friends on abortion policies. However, I quickly came to the realization that this disagreement was more than a difference of opinion – it was a clash of values. 

My friend and I had fundamentally different views on women’s rights. Although I could see past her political affiliations, this was too much to bear. Maintaining the friendship felt like a betrayal of my beliefs. In such cases, it is important to recognize that while we can tolerate differences, we cannot condone views that dehumanize ourselves or others. 

While today’s society often encourages us to only affiliate with people with similar opinions, it is important to remember that building friendships with people with different political views is possible. Though the media might give the impression that we are a country divided, there is always common ground to be found.

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