In recent years the quality of rhetoric in the U.S has degenerated significantly due to a decline in civil discourse as well as an increase in ad hominem attacks against political opposition. Ironically partisanship has decreased within the U.S in the past decade, yet people are more politically polarized than ever before.

As a result of this political polarization people on both the left and the right have stopped truly listening to the other side causing most involve in politics to primarily appeal to their base and effectively abandon attempts to listen to or to appeal to the other side. Without the need for politicians and political activists to maintain a civil discourse with their opposition these groups will then be disingenuous with how they present their opposition. As these political actors create more straw men of their opponents the general population that follows them will actually believe their opponents to be the caricatures, and as a result of this will refuse to listen to their opponents because they believe them to be so deplorable.

In France during the late 18th century tensions between the aristocracy and the common people were at an all time high, the common people of France merely desired more representation within the aristocratic government, but the aristocracy refused to hear their pleas. As a result, the common people of France had begun the French Revolution in 1789 and had begun to attack French institutions. The noble French revolution would eventually degenerate into the Reign of Terror because of the Jacobin party and Maximilen Robespiere, who would create a dichotomy between the French common people and the aristocracy through disingenuous and caustic rhetoric. Through the use of divisive rhetoric meant to polarize society and the disdain each side showed for the other, a tumultuous situation would escalate into a revolution and, eventually a reign of terror.

The rhetoric permeating throughout U.S politics today will cause more polarization because of the disingenuous and disparaging rhetoric used, which would ultimately create a less open and tolerant political climate in the U.S. To rectify the issues with rhetoric and political polarization in the U.S we must avoid making disingenuous characterization of our political opponents and should avoid falling into the trap of confirmation bias.