An Election Season Resolution: Lose the Adverbs

Moderation in our temperament includes moderation with our words

Shakespeare’s Words by Calamity Meg

I tell my law students to lose most of their adverbs. It’s generally good to avoid overextended emotion and overclaiming. The other side isn’t always wrong. Few people are absolutely mistaken. You don’t have to really care; just care.

As we inch closer toward what is sure to be a divisive and contested election, each of us might consider our own adverb inventory, especially on social media. You will seldom win an argument by making your point more forcefully, more angrily, and with less nuance. Fewer adverbs might also lower your blood pressure.

Politics at its best—or at least at its most functional—requires similar moderation. Politics depends on compromise. No side has all the answers, extreme policy positions rarely win, elections are seldom about good versus evil. And every time we type away to the contrary—we’re right, they’re wrong; we’re good they’re evil; we’re smart; they’re stupid—we undermine the moderated discourse on which our civil peace depends.

None of this means the stakes don’t matter—of course they do. This coming presidential election—like every one that has preceded it—will have enormous consequences and its outcome will affect people’s lives and liberties in ways that matter. You should care. Be involved, make your arguments known, and vote.

But as you do, aim for nuance and moderation in your claims. The way we engage with each other—particularly in political discourse—shapes the fabric of our democracy. In an age of polarization, where every issue seems to divide us into opposing camps, it is more important than ever to remember that our words can either contribute to the unraveling of our social fabric, or they can help to restore it one conversation at a time.

This isn’t about being civil or polite. Too often, pleas for “civil discourse” come from people in power trying to maintain the status quo by suppressing passion and emotion. You don’t have to play into that game. But it’s possible to express both passion and moderation at the same time. If you care about an issue—if you want to see political change—you will be most effective when you pursue compromise and build coalitions rather than sticking to anger and outrage. When you approach political discussions with humility and a willingness to listen, you open the door to finding common ground, even with those whose views differ from your own.

The Dangers of Extremism in Political Discourse

When we engage in political discourse with an attitude of moral superiority—when we insist that our side is absolutely right and the other side is absolutely wrong—we not only alienate those who might otherwise be willing to listen, but we also undermine the credibility and plausibility of the positions we hold dear. In a diverse democracy, no single person or group has all the answers. It is through the exchange of ideas, through the give and take of political debate, that we arrive at solutions that, while imperfect and ever-changing, bring us closer to the possibility of navigating our differences well.

You may decide that some of your beliefs about these issues are not open to compromise. And sometimes you will find those beliefs on the losing end of a law or policy. In those moments when compromise isn’t possible and you’ve lost, it’s natural to feel like the whole system is rigged or needs to be reimagined. But it’s usually more pragmatic to keep fighting within our law-governed system rather than using enflamed rhetoric to call for its destruction. Trying to upend the system usually ends in futility, frustration, or chaos. Few people who don’t already agree with a movement will be convinced by its calls for revolution. These kinds of rallying cries appeal to those whose views already lie in the extremes rather than to those who might be open to persuasion and political change.

When you find yourself on the losing end of a conflict that cannot be resolved through compromise, resist the temptation of name-calling and try not to oversimplify the other side. An inability to compromise doesn’t have to be a dead end. Even zero-sum decisions can usually be reconsidered, but you’ll usually need allies to see that happen. So don’t risk alienating future allies with inflammatory adverbs. Instead, use the opportunity to deepen your understanding of what’s at stake in a disagreement and why others see things differently. And recommit to work toward a different solution while continuing in your efforts to persuade others that your position is, in fact, the better one.

The Role of Language in Political Discourse

One of the most powerful tools we can use toward these ends is our choice of language. The words we choose to use—or not use—can either inflame passions or foster understanding. In Learning to Disagree, I emphasize the importance of moderation in both thought and speech. This does not mean that we should shy away from making our voices heard, especially on issues that matter deeply to us. But it does mean that we should be mindful of the impact our words can have, not just on those we are directly engaging with, but on the broader political climate.

Social media, in particular, has amplified the tendency toward extreme language and polarized thinking. The anonymity and disembodiment of our social media platforms make it all too easy to lash out, to make sweeping generalizations, and to reduce complex issues to sound bites. More thoughtful and measured language can help lower the temperature of our discourse and make space for more nuanced conversations.

Rebuilding Trust Through Conversation

Social media rewards those who shout the loudest, who make the most extreme claims, and who refuse to budge from their positions. But those rewards are rarely sustainable. Offline, people become disillusioned with the political process when they see everything as a zero-sum game, where compromise is a sign of weakness rather than a necessary part of governance.

The path to rebuilding America’s social fabric begins with each of us. It begins with the conversations we have with our friends, our family, our neighbors, and even strangers. These conversations are where we test our ideas, challenge our assumptions, and learn from each other. And in a very real way, they are the building blocks of our democracy. Let’s build more carefully, with fewer adverbs and more moderation.