On the morning of Nov. 6, after President-elect Donald Trump’s victory was declared, I saw messages across social media with a similar sentiment shared en masse: “If you voted for Trump, do not associate with me.” These types of statements are not just implausible, as 76 million people voted for the president-elect, but also dangerous to democracy and our society.

I am not a Trump supporter. In fact, I am far from one. I find many of his policies detrimental to our country’s future, his character even more so. I am very disappointed and worried that the majority of voters chose him as our next president. Still, despite my frustrations, I choose to continue to interact with those who voted differently from me.

It is true there are some people who are outwardly hateful to the groups targeted by Trump’s policies. However, if we truly want to combat this hatred and bigotry, we cannot disengage from the political spheres where these beliefs often take root. Otherwise, how can we ever expect to undo and prevent these mindsets or push for improvements in our country?

We must continue to talk to those with whom we disagree. Differences in thinking allow us to challenge each other’s beliefs, leading to nuances in our own understanding. They also prevent us from being divided into two huge echo chambers, in which everyone has the same beliefs and agreeable ideas become increasingly extreme. Isolating people based on who they voted for will just deepen the divisions in our country. Not only that, but a large part of democracy is about finding those few issues where compromises can be built. These compromises require continued dialogue from all voices across the political spectrum. 

A bigger issue, though, is that by taking this approach, we begin to lose touch with one another and fracture as a society, no longer being able to relate to each other’s experiences and perspectives. It is, therefore, in the vital interest of American democracy and society that we continue to talk to each other. Otherwise, we will jeopardize everything we’ve built as a nation.