Beyond the Battle Lines

On Inauguration Day, A Reminder of What Really Matters

We're about to be tested like never before. As I write this, our nation is more polarized than it's been in recent memory. We're forming teams, drawing lines in the sand. And I've been thinking a lot about what this means for all of us.

I'll be honest with you – as a human, as a mother, as a woman, as a scientist – I have strong feelings about many of the policies being proposed that will affect me, my family, and my community. It's so easy to get caught up in the "us versus them" mentality that seems to be everywhere these days.

But here's the thing: we absolutely must push back against that impulse. And no, this isn't some kind of "kumbaya" positivity porn. I'm not suggesting we sweep dangerous ideologies under the rug – the fringe exists, and yes, it's scary. But I would argue that the vast majority of us share more common ground than we realize.

---

Let me tell you a story from just this past Friday. I was invited to speak at an event for the Florida Fertilizer and Agriculture Association. Picture this: me, a city girl from the Northeast, standing in front of a room full of older white men, mostly farmers. Talk about different backgrounds – different cultures, different religions, different upbringings, and almost certainly different political affiliations.

When I got up to speak, I broke the ice by acknowledging exactly that: "What's a gal from South Brooklyn doing in front of a room of farmers?" They chuckled. The ice broke.

The night before, I sat at dinner with some of these farmers. They talked about being 7th-generation Floridians (while I'm 2nd generation American, the granddaughter of immigrants from Eastern Europe). But you know what? We found common ground in our shared appreciation for the land and environment. They proudly called themselves "stewards of the land." We had honest conversations about GMOs and pesticides – topics that the public often views as controversial, but where scientists and farmers find surprising alignment. Despite our different backgrounds, we were completely on the same page: as a scientist, I understand the evidence supporting their safety and necessity; as farmers, they understand the practical realities. One farmer told me, "We only use the bare minimum that we need to use. Those things are expensive. We wouldn't use them if we didn't have to." It was a perfect example of how science and practical experience lead us to the same conclusions.

I was there to teach them about communicating science through digital media, but I ended up learning just as much from them.

---

Today, as Trump is being inaugurated, many of us in the scientific community have strong feelings and valid concerns about the people being appointed to positions of power over scientific agencies. We're anticipating a bumpy and prickly four years ahead.

But I keep coming back to what our real end goal is – it isn't to fight the "other side." It's to create a world where we can all respect the best available evidence, understand that science evolves, and just do our best to lead healthy and happy lives.

Recently, I came across something unexpected – a Heineken beer commercial from 2017 that researchers at Stanford University identified as one of the most effective tools for reducing political animosity. I watched it with tears streaming down my face. Out of more than 250 submissions to Stanford's Strengthening Democracy Challenge, this simple beer ad proved most effective at "reducing partisan animosity." I strongly encourage you to watch it:

builders

A post shared by @builders

So here we are, at this crossroads. The challenges ahead of us – climate change, public health, food security – are too important for us to waste time fighting each other. These aren't "left" or "right" issues; they're human issues. In the face of increasing polarization, I'm asking – no, pleading – for us to remember this: There's always common ground to be found if we're willing to look for it.

We just have to be brave enough to start the conversation.

Stay Curious,

Unbiased Science