Three-quarters of the Dutch think that polarization is
increasing
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Social and Cultural Planning Office
News item |
29-12-2022 | 00:01
Annoyance at
harsh tone and extreme expressions in political and public debate
A large majority
of the Dutch are worried about polarization. They think of deteriorated manners
and hardening in the political and public debate. They are also annoyed by expressions
that they experience as extreme or radical. This is evident from research by
the Social and Cultural Planning Office (SCP) that appears today. In their
immediate environment, people experience less polarization than in politics and
in (social) media. In order not to increase the feeling that groups of people
are opposed to each other, it is important to pay attention to the tone in the
political debate and to focus on the content.
Many people are
worried about the way of living together in our country. This edition of the
Continuous Survey on Citizen Perspectives (COB) shows that three-quarters of
the Dutch think that differences of opinion on social issues are increasing.
However, scientific research contradicts that view: on many subjects there is
more agreement than people think and differences in views do not grow. In the
way of living together, the Dutch also see things going well. For example, they
cite mutual helpfulness as a strong point. Two-thirds also think that other
people can be trusted.
Harsher tone and sharp expressions
The group
discussions and surveys that the SCP conducted for this research show that
people's concerns about polarisation are mainly about the manners in the
political and social debate. They mention the harsh tone of the debate, not
listening well to each other and sticking to their own right. In addition, it
appears that many people are annoyed by extreme expressions in their eyes.
People experience that especially small groups with a harsh tone demand and
receive a lot of attention, including in the media. They sometimes understand
groups that make themselves heard because they are disadvantaged or because
they are not listened to. Yet for many people impatience and annoyance about
strongly expressed opinions and harsh protest actions prevail.
Less polarization in one's own living environment
While the
polarization and hardening in the political debate and on (social) media are
widely felt, the experiences in one's own living environment are variable.
People indicate that this is because they usually surround themselves with
like-minded people. In addition, one often avoids discussions with friends,
family and colleagues about difficult issues in order to avoid conflicts. It
does matter who and what it is about. If someone is personally touched by a
topic, it is more difficult to avoid the discussion about it. For example,
about racism, LGBTIQ+ rights or nitrogen. People in majority positions can
often more easily afford to withdraw from the debate on such issues. Corona was
an exception to this: it affected everyone and discussions about vaccination
have also caused tensions in the personal circle.
Impact on social cohesion and democracy
Strong images of
polarization are not without consequences. A polarized society — whether it's
actually that way or perceived by people — can fuel perceived hostility between
political opponents. This may, in the long run, affect social cohesion and the
functioning of democracy. That is why it is important to avoid a harsh tone and
hostile attitude in the political debate and to focus on the content. In
addition, both media and politics would do well not to immediately call
disagreements polarization. After all, differences in opinions and opinions are
always there and are part of a democracy. However, emphasizing contradictions
can unnecessarily magnify differences.
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