zlacker

> This was once a somewhat stronger (political) norm that has fallen by the wayside as the nation has grown more bitterly divided.

Just a thought: what if the nation's divide comes from companies taking more political stances, instead of the opposite? As an example to entertain the thought, when Nike takes a political position through their advertising on social platforms, people react to it by taking side. If done at a scale big enough, with enough companies pushing their customers to take a side, would that be enough to result in visible divide in the country?

>>dgello+(OP)
I think the hyper politicization of just about everything definitely contributes to polarization, and particularly the “cancel culture” approach to politicization is a blunt instrument that seems very likely to push people to take sides against each other, and see differing beliefs more as opponents that must be defeated rather than neighbors with different priorities.