Communication and Introspection: The Roadmap to a More Productive American Democracy

American democracy is perishing, and in order to address this trend, we must improve our perceptive and communicative abilities. To begin, this thesis examines the different influences that affect the behavior of American voters, some of which are innately political and some that are not. American polarization, social media, the two-party system, human hardwiring, and a general lack of incentive to engage are all examined at length to set the table for solutions. Solutions, in the context of this thesis, are not policy solutions but rather internal solutions. Given that democracy is such a participatory process, it appears most useful to provide tangible, personal takeaways. By exploring how to harness the power of influence, epistemic humility, open-mindedness, and appropriate media consumption, we have the tools necessary to pursue a more refined free speech society and democracy. If democracy is something the American collective is interested in preserving, we must adjust the way we process the world, and in this thesis, the foundations are set for a more productive democracy.