Member-only story
Why Do Most People Climb the Political Mountain in One Direction?
A Journey into Polarization and Perspective
What if I told you that most people’s political beliefs are shaped not by what they see, but by where they’re standing? Imagine a towering mountain, with a select few scaling to the summit, gaining a sweeping view of the world below. Meanwhile, the majority remain firmly at the base, dismissing anything outside their limited line of sight. Could this metaphor explain why so many drift from socialism to liberalism — but rarely the other way around? Let’s take a closer look at how this dynamic plays out in today’s polarized world, and what it reveals about the human tendency to cling to partial truths.
The Mountain of Political Perception: Are You at the Base or the Summit?
At its core, this metaphor illustrates the human struggle between limited perspective and a broader understanding of the world. The summit-dwellers — those who dare to climb — represent individuals who’ve expanded their worldviews, embracing complexity and nuance. Those at the base? They see only what’s immediately visible, dismissing alternative perspectives as incomprehensible — or worse, as elitist propaganda.
