For those who want to understand the Other Side better, here’s a few do’s and don’ts:

Don’t paint the Other Side with a broad brush; realize there is a range of opinions within all groups.

Don’t attribute the opinions of the most extreme of the Other Side to the whole group.

Don’t psychologize or otherwise reduce opinions you don’t share to the personal qualities or motives of those who hold them.

Don’t mindread – that is, ignore the Other Side’s expressed thoughts and motivations in favor of what you consider their “real” thoughts and motivations.

Don’t indulge in caricature or cartoonish portrayals of the Other Side.

Do try to engage the Other Side’s arguments on their merits.

Do try to see that many disagreements turn out to be a matter of degree and not absolutes.

Do try to find the common ground – and then try to expand it.

Do try to understand the relation between what seems to be irrational statements and the broader reality they speak to. When in doubt, ask – start a dialogue.

Be humble. Loosen those chains of certainty. Listen. Disagreements about fact or emphasis won’t completely disappear but the extent of disagreement will shrink, making compromise and constructive problem-solving much more likely.