New York Times columnist and Harvard Law graduate David French spoke to students about political polarization in America during a BYU campus forum on Sept. 24.
He cited statistics to demonstrate why political polarization is a rising concern, but he also proposed solutions designed to mend political divides.
During his remarks, French posited that one way polarization manifests is through a phenomenon he coined "lethal mass partisanship." The term refers to a political landscape where people on either side of a political binary believe their country would be better off if a large segment of the opposing party were no longer alive.
"There's about 20% of Americans, believe it or not, who've believed that the country would be somewhat better off if a substantial portion of their fellow citizens on the opposing side just died," French said.
French stated that as technology and high screen time has become more pervasive, people have begun to disassociate from each other.
"We're not a part of the things that we do together. And that has a consequence ... and that consequence is so much deeper than politics," French said.
The underlying issue is a lack of connection, according to French.
He referenced a study conducted by the American Enterprise Institute which showed there was a higher percentage of working-class Americans who reported having no friends at all than those who reported to have many friends.
"That is a formula for loneliness, for despair and ... in many times, a formula for self-destructive behavior."
Although hatred can break a community, French said friendship can unite it.
According to French, one of the most important ways to unite is through fulfilling the call, as followers of Jesus Christ, to love others.
"So, act justly, love kindness, walk humbly. Why? So that every man can live under his own vine, his own fig tree and no one will make him afraid," French said.