Watch enough news — left, right or somewhere in between — and you’ll hear it.

“Culture war.”

“War on truth.”

“We’re fighting for the soul of the nation.”

Every disagreement becomes a battlefield. Every opponent, an enemy. Every policy, a test of loyalty.

But here’s the danger: If we keep telling ourselves we’re at war, eventually we’ll start acting like we are.

You can’t compromise with an enemy. You can’t listen, learn or admit you might be wrong. You bunker down. You pick your side. You scroll your feed until it confirms everything you already believe. And anyone who doesn’t fit? Must be a traitor.

The irony is, most Americans agree on more than we think. But war talk makes nuance sound like weakness.

And peace? Peace doesn’t trend.

So here’s the question:

What would it take to shift from fighting to listening?

Let me know in the comments and check out more at jamesbrowntv.substack.com.

On that note, I’m James Brown, and as always, be well.