Fuelled by a constant stream of misinformation and rage-bait, political division has reached overwhelming heights, with the various sides of the political divide seemingly so vehemently opposed, that the idea of finding common ground seems like a fanciful notion only suggested by the starry-eyed. And yet, here I am, suggesting we all try and be nice to each other.

Everyone has their own opinion on the approaches that governments should take. Politics has always been emotional and contentious, but to see such adversity, hatred and outright nonsense being actively encouraged by world leaders like Donald Trump, is jarring and hugely disconcerting.  

With climate change looming as an ever-present threat, young people struggling to get started and unable to purchase homes, University students drowning in debt, and the shadow of a global pandemic still fresh in our memory, we should be striving to instil empathy, compassion and unity, to help reconcile our shared challenges. But instead, it feels as if we are seeing greater division.   

To have the ability to think in the long-term requires empathy, and more effort to take the time to consider how seemingly short-term actions (or reactions) might affect everyone, and not just ourselves, in the future.  

It’s easy to understand why so many people are struggling to feel hopeful, but when you feel targeted or personally victimised by government, or when hateful rhetoric is parroted by dedicated followers across platforms, basic empathy can feel like a remote prospect.

But as impossible as it seems, I believe that empathy and compassion are far more prevalent than the media would have us believe.

We’ve seen time and time again, that people band together during times of crisis. In those moments, we instinctively know what’s right, and we act accordingly. The desire to help, to show empathy, is part of who we are. Those shared experiences become beacons that remind us of our shared humanity.

The constant and overwhelming nature of social media discourse is a heavy fog to navigate, but it doesn’t diminish this truth. We exemplify empathy every single day, even if we don’t realise it- every time we send a friend something to make them laugh, help a stranger carry a pram down a flight of stairs, share food, check on a friend or make sure a loved one got home safely. And every act of kindness is a defiance against those who would prefer us to be at each other’s throats.

Everyone ultimately craves peace and has someone they love and want to protect. But our media, and especially our social media, are designed to amplify our differences to the point where nuanced, well-thought-out opinions are steamrollered in favour of soundbites and rage-bait.

What we need more than ever are well-thought-out arguments, founded in our shared empathy, that focus on how policies will affect the majority in the long term, and better take account of the consequences. We need to create safe spaces for thoughtful dialogue - conversations that go beyond reactive and performative, and aim to solve real issues.

With four years of a Trump presidency ahead of us, and a rise in angry ‘populism’ globally, I think now is a good time to remind ourselves of the prevalence and value of everyday empathy. But we need to celebrate and promote it, not take it for granted. It is a fundamental starting point for most of our values, and a basic principle for a functioning society.  

There are two sides to every story, but without empathy we often only ever hear one side. Perhaps we need to take the time to consider what we see online and in the media, to look beyond scandalised headlines. We need to try harder than ever not to rush to conclusions just to justify our means. We have the privilege to be able to open ourselves up to new understandings. That, to me, is true freedom.