Election reactions — and other thoughts from the Builders community

Over the past few weeks, we’ve received many messages from our community — and we’ve read every one. These included thoughts about the election, responses to our piece about understanding each other, answers to survey questions, and assorted messages of hope about overcoming our divides. 

We have a unique community. There are people with views from across the political spectrum, but we are all united by the belief that our politics must become less toxic. Our differences mean we’ll often disagree about what that path looks like — but we know we are all working toward the same broad goal. 

These messages from our community are a chance to hear voices of people we don’t hear from enough. We’re grateful to everyone who shared their honest and vulnerable thoughts. 

Election responses 

When we asked for your thoughts on the election, we received a wave of responses. An overall theme was that many found it hard to understand what people on the “other side” were thinking:  

• “This week has been one of the worst ones in a long time. My parents are very upset with the election results, while I am not. They say they want to understand my side and why I would vote for who I did, but they have continued to steer conversations back to their fears and how horrible he is (my own dad even called me ‘dumb’ for my decision). It feels less like they want to understand than they want to be understood (or to persuade) — and it feels like they are taking their anger and fears out on me and my sister.”
• “I would love to be able to share with you how I intend to move forward with a Builders mindset but I’m stuck… I have a great need to understand how more than half of all Americans could compromise their own values and vote for a deeply unethical man who has been so vile and derogatory through his public appearances and social network postings.”
• “I found at least 10% of those I talked to seemed inordinately stressed. It’s like they swallowed the “democracy will be replaced with fascism” campaign message from the left hook, line, and sinker…”
• “I voted for Kamala Harris. My sister had [a nanny who is pro-Trump]. I have her phone number. I was thinking, at some point, not now because I am so livid, of calling her, and asking if a group of her girlfriends would be willing to join a zoom call with a group of my girlfriends. Maybe we could talk about what we have in common, and share our backgrounds, and then talk about what questions we have for each other.”

If you can relate to wondering What are they thinking?!, we recommend this episode of the Braver Angels podcast A Braver Way, in which a panel of both Trump voters and Harris voters “take on a fiery handful of your toughest questions about how in the world we bridge political divides from here.”

If you haven’t already, you might also read our piece on the importance of understanding each other. 

Gratitude for others 

For Thanksgiving, we asked our community to recall a time they were grateful for someone with very different politics: 

• “Every single day! I’m left-leaning in a church with all conservatives. Love all of them!”
• “I’m thankful for my dad everyday. He and I don’t see eye to eye politically.”
• “Every day! We’ve been happily married for almost 35 years!”
• “My brother just started a family political chat group. We disagree, but kindly. His perspective is fresh to me.”

Read more responses.

Hope about our movement 

Recent signups to our email list have contained messages about hope and gratitude for working to overcome division — even as some people are deeply concerned and frustrated: 

• “I’m so tired of the hatred, the division, the strain on my personal relationships… I want to do something — anything — to change the dangerous direction of this country.”
• “Our country is on a crash course if we can’t all start working together for better outcomes.”
• “I’ve felt helpless these last years as I’ve watched our country (hell, our world) become more and more fractured. Perhaps all of us, myself included, need to stop feeling like helpless victims and stand up to act in whatever ways we can.”
• “I want to help soften the sharp edges that have been chiseled into our culture. Sometimes, I feel so helpless against what is happening, and it scares me. Being a part of a community that wants to reduce the toxic divides in our country is a great start!”
• “I refuse to be stuck in polarization, frozen in fear, and dragged down in despair. The best way out of hopelessness is to take action, and Builders is coming at the perfect time.”

Though we may disagree on many things, this community agrees that our current way of doing politics is unsustainable. All of us can contribute to shifting the culture. Our everyday scope of influence may seem small, but we know there are millions who feel this way, and this movement has only just begun. Thank you for being part of this. 

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