Ever since the rise of Modi and Trump on their respective stages, my once-friendly social circle has split into clearly Left and Right halves that challenge friendly discussions.
Political polarization has bled into social interactions, forcing many of us into a quiet self-censorship. We often hold back our opinions—not out of shyness, but out of social self-preservation. A harmless remark can suddenly ignite a firestorm, especially when facts and opinions are filtered through conflicting ideologies.
This isn’t just a personal experience—it’s a global phenomenon.
Political, social, and even religious divides are now so deep that most people prefer to speak only when surrounded by like-minded people.
The old saying, birds of the same feather flock together, is very appropriate here, as people feel comfortable and welcome in the social circle where their views fall exactly in line with those of others.
But in an environment of poles-apart thinking one can encounter vigorous criticism to the extent that expressing one’s opinion freely has become a rarity, often accompanied by anxiety about potential backlash.
This pervasive atmosphere of caution not only stifles personal exchanges but also hampers broader societal discourse, creating a landscape where ideas are segregated rather than debated.
The vibrancy of dialogue that fosters understanding and compromise diminishes. Consequently, polarization deepens, feeding cycles of misunderstanding and animosity that ripple through families, communities, and institutions.
And so, the spiral of silence begins from the dinner table to the workplace, to the town square, and up to the national level.
Governments—especially those wearing democratic masks but hiding autocratic tendencies—step in to enforce or encourage this silence, ensuring dominant narratives flourish while inconvenient truths are silenced.
Here, the good ideas remain dormant rather than becoming better, while bad ideas get more space and thrive.
-Promod Puri
Promod Puri.com 