A Better, Better Angels Credo

I.
Better Angels is not going to do a good job of recruiting activist reds and blues and convincing them to get along. However, it does do a good job of attracting reds and blues who prefer civility over aggressive activism.

There is a selection bias going on with the type of people who become BA members. Its bread and butter is in giving a home to the moderates and politically disengaged who have fallen out of civic life.

The Hidden Tribes report states that two thirds of the country are what it calls "the Exhausted Majority."

"They are fed up with the polarization plaguing American government and society. They are often forgotten in the public discourse, overlooked because their voices are seldom heard. They are flexible in their views, willing to endorse different policies according to the precise situation rather than sticking ideologically to a single set of beliefs. They believe we can find common ground.

"... they have a more diverse range of opinions, seem more concerned about the country’s divisions, and are more committed to compromise.
"... members of the Exhausted Majority are so frustrated with the bitter polarization of our politics that many have checked out completely, ceding the floor to more strident voices.... Members of the Exhausted Majority tend to be open to finding middle ground."

This sounds like a perfect description of the type of people BA is trying to recruit. I would be interested in surveying BA members to see which categories of the tribes they fall into.  My guess is that we see few extremists from the "wings" and most come from the exhausted center.

II.
My second critique of BA has to do with action.

The mission of BA members should not be to recruit more reds and blues and host 8 hour workshops once every few months. It should be to create a community for these like-minded individuals. It should behave very much the same way churches and civic organizations behave: ritualistic face-to-face interaction, a profession of shared ethics, an active role in the community.

Members should gather as congregants, discuss ways to become the best versions of ourselves, and how to best serve our communities and society.