The Big Sort

The central theory is interesting: that politics has become a central identity point in America that predicts everything about us down to where we live. Since 2008, that has largely become conventional wisdom, so long lists of things that political identity predicts (including ones that feel obvious because they're political, like school choice and book bannings) feel a little obvious. The conclusion that polarization of physical places resulting in people never meeting those with differing political views, and that this increases polarization and extreme opinions is important, but no solutions are suggested.

But to a modern reader, the changes of the last 16 years since the book was published make a lot of the premises feel silly and shallow. “There will never be political violence in the US” is a claim that looks pretty stupid after 2021. 2016, 2020 and 2024 have a lot to say to the “hyperpolarization of the 2004 election”. Indeed, I started reading this book in 2016, and couldn't quite stomach it and the distance between my reality and where the book was, and have struggled every time I've picked it up for the last 8 years.

Not a bad book: dated in some ways, perhaps, but useful in many others.

It's a good overview for people who haven't been thinking much about this stuff. If you have been already, however, not a lot of good new information.

Very good couple of pages here & there, such as when pointing out the civic and political necessity of ethically ambiguous people like LBJ or Huey Long.

The most frightening book I've read in years. Too depressing to read; too well-written and informative to put down. Nearly every page had information or insights that were new to me: did you know that Eisenhower was courted by both Republican and Democrat parties? That churches in the 1960s/70s started getting socially responsible... and lost members as a consequence?

If you've studied electronics you know what a positive feedback loop is... and you know that it is a Very Bad Thing. That's what's happening in the US. We're using our mobility to sort ourselves into like-minded communities. No contact with opposing viewpoints. This leads to further polarization. And then we remember that this book was written six years ago and we weep.

The cost of this polarization is appalling: communities feeding on and perpetuating ignorance. When you don't know or interact with different-minded folks, everything becomes more black and white. Less nuanced. No room for moderates or thought or wisdom. And that's tragic.

And then there's the churches (and certain political parties). For all their science-denying, they're pretty astute in how they use big data and psychological/neurological techniques to manipulate people. Combine this with Haidt's findings on morality (i.e. the Obedience To Authority that rules too many peoples' minds) and we have a very grim forecast indeed.

Read this. It's six years old but still—no, even more—relevant today. Well researched, well written, and engaging despite its message.