For months, analysts have been describing the intertwined nature of America鈥檚 two plagues 鈥� COVID-19, and political and racial polarization so pronounced that two-thirds of older citizens now see their fellow Americans as the nation's greatest threat.
Peter T. Coleman, Professor of Psychology & Education, and believe the antidotes to both also overlap.
鈥淭he national immunization effort now underway could be leveraged to treat both plagues,鈥� writes Coleman, Director of TC鈥檚 , and David A. Carten, a change strategist and Director at , in . 鈥淲e are now putting boots on the ground for inoculating the nation, and the same efforts can help us begin a process of communal repair.鈥�
Peter T. Coleman, Professor of Psychology & Education (Photo: Jonathan Heisler)
Coleman and Carten propose a 鈥済reat cross-country check-up鈥� in which each person vaccinated also sits with 鈥渁 professional listener鈥� who asks about 鈥測our worries, hopes and ideas for solutions.鈥�
鈥淭he combination of receiving protection from the virus and being listened to with respect by someone in authority could offer a powerful, restorative salve to our citizenry,鈥� they write, noting that recently downgraded the U.S. from a 鈥渇ull鈥� to a 鈥渇lawed democracy.鈥� 鈥淭he information obtained could then be parsed locally to identify the unique concerns and more popular remedies for those living in our diverse counties and towns.鈥�
The national immunization effort now underway could be leveraged to treat both plagues. We are now putting boots on the ground for inoculating the nation, and the same efforts can help us begin a process of communal repair.
鈥擯eter T. Coleman and David A. Carten in The Hill
Ultimately, Coleman and Carten envision a State of the Union address in which President Biden announces the results of this yearlong 鈥渓istening and learning tour鈥� and announces the launch of a 鈥淣ational Strategy on Rebuilding Trust in America.鈥�
鈥淭his initiative鈥ould serve to reset our course and point us toward a new era of functional democracy,鈥� they conclude, but add, in a rare backward glance at this strange period: 鈥淔or time to be in our favor, we must act now. Decisions are being made in hours, not weeks, and such an opportunity, if missed, will be gone for good.鈥�
[Read of the piece by Coleman and Carten in The Hill.]