The Biological Roots of Our Divided Culture: The Work of Iain McGilchrist

There seems to be a connection between left hemisphere brain functions and the political left and between right hemisphere functions and the political right.

A brain is made up of a left and right hemisphere. r.classen/Shutterstock

Commentary

The single thing our divided culture can agree on is that we can agree on nothing. Left and right, conservative and liberal, traditional and progressive—all our divisions are absolute. We can’t even agree to disagree. We agree only that a gap separates us, one no bridge can span. And yet, many of us continue to attempt reconciliation between these unreconcilable sides or, worse, try to convince the other side that our side is right. In short, the situation is hopeless.