Canadians are used to looking South of the border with disdain, but also fear. Whatever political trends start in the U.S. have a funny way of making their to Canada after few years.

The degree of political polarization now evident in the U.S. is despicable and horrifying in equal measure. Purity spirals are evident on both sides of the divide, and the worst thing you can call someone is a member of the opposing party. The extremes on both sides are anti-science, although the left has embraced some behaviours that are less contradictory to the common good purely by coincidence. e.g. Wearing masks became a political statement. While it was good that roughly half the population were wearing them willingly, turning it into political virtue signalling made it less likely for the other half of the population to wear them. The right behaviour for the wrong reasons had unintended consequences.

In Canada, our political parties have long detested each other beyond reason. e.g. Read "Right Here, Right Now" by Stephen Harper (former conservative PM) and, even if you don't agree with him, you'll find he makes intelligent arguments except when it comes to the Liberals. When he speaks of his opponents it's a bit like like reading Marcus Aurelius' "Meditations" when he transitions from stoic philosophy to ranting about catamites. Logical one moment, insane the next.

In a real sense, politicians are at the very centre of purity spirals even if they aren't always responsible for creating them. Consider Republicans who have caught flack from the far-right for being vaccinated or wearing masks. If you're a highly visible member of a demographic entirely consumed by a massive purity spiral, what option do you have but to conform?

While it's to be expected that politicians will bend in whichever way the wind of these spirals blow, it's especially distressing to see how many people have a rigid political identity that is completely unhinged from personal values, needs, or philosophy.

For example, in my province "Conservatism" used to include a healthy dose of "conservation". Four decades ago, a conservative government decided to ban strip mining in the Eastern slopes of the rocky mountains to "conserve" natural beauty. Scientific studies conducted since then have only confirmed the wisdom of this decision. Strip mining in these areas, even with today's best practices, would have had massive risks for watersheds covering huge swaths of populated areas. Today, "Conservatism" means overturning that ban without telling anyone, quietly inviting shady penny stock companies in to start strip mining explorations, getting caught, "pausing" and opposing the efforts of the non-Conservative opposition to reinstate the ban.

My father is a staunch political conservative who voted for the conservatives four decades ago and now supports them just as unequivocally, despite the fact that conservatism's meaning is, in many cases, the polar opposite of what it used to be.

Politics as personal identity is the root of purity spirals at the same time as it is a cause for people to support policies that are contrary to their ideals and needs. We need to encourage people to stop being loyal to "their side", and start supporting things they value. How do we do this?