What I struggle to comprehend is the visceral contempt some Americans now direct at their fellow citizens. Yet, the fringes grow louder, painting the other side with a broad brush, amplifying disagreement into existential conflict, and treating political opponents as enemies rather than fellow citizens with different priorities. This growing divide is not merely a domestic political problem. We do not need to foment hatred against our fellow citizens. It is a choice, reinforced daily by incentives that reward polarization and by political fundraisers, domestic media, and foreign adversaries who profit from it.