If you turn on any major news network or scroll through social media, you’d think the United States is on the brink of civil war. The talking heads and keyboard warriors on both sides would have you believe that the country is irreparably divided—Democrats and Republicans despise each other, rural and urban areas are sworn enemies, and compromise is dead. But is that really the case?

I have traveled to New York and California, crossing through red states, blue states, and everything in between. What I saw wasn’t a nation at war with itself, but a country full of people who, for the most part, just want to live their lives, provide for their families, and be left alone. Sure, people have different opinions—some folks lean left, others lean right—but that doesn’t mean they’re at each other’s throats the way the media wants you to believe. The so-called “great divide” isn’t nearly as extreme as the political machine portrays it.

So, why does it seem like we’re more divided than ever? The answer is simple: outrage sells. News networks make money by keeping you tuned in, and the best way to do that is by making you angry. Social media thrives on algorithms that push the most divisive content to the top of your feed because engagement—whether it’s likes, shares, or hate comments—keeps you on the platform longer. It’s a never-ending cycle of manufactured conflict designed to keep us distracted and divided.

Both sides of our political system are guilty of feeding into this division. Politicians on the left and the right use fear and tribalism to maintain power. The right claims the left is turning the country into a socialist dystopia, while the left warns that the right is dragging us into fascism. Meanwhile, regular Americans—those of us just trying to put food on the table and pay our bills—aren’t nearly as extreme as we’re made out to be.

If we want real change, both sides need to step back from the performative outrage and get back to problem-solving. We need leaders who prioritize solutions over soundbites, who listen instead of scream, and who recognize that most Americans don’t fit neatly into the “us vs. them” narrative.

The real America isn’t what you see on CNN, Fox News, or Twitter. It’s what you see when you walk into a diner in a small town or a coffee shop in the city and realize that, despite our differences, we’re all just people trying to get through the day. The divide isn’t nearly as bad as they want you to believe. And the sooner we stop falling for the manufactured outrage, the sooner we can get back to what really matters—living, working, and building a better future together.