We need a consensual reality to have a functioning democracy. People don't agree on what's real right now. OK, all of us never agree perfectly, and the differences are exaggerated by the extremes being most vocal, but I really feel like we don't have enough of a shared view right now to operate effectively. The dehumanization of each side by the other (and the dehumanization of adversaries outside the country and non-citizens within the country) is particularly worrisome to me, as is the temptation to dehumanize the dehumanizers.