We often wish to give ourselves the benefit of the doubt. We want to believe that we can come together for a common cause when in reality, we are more likely to come together against a common enemy. History has shown us that a mutual hatred against an external entity has a greater probability of creating unity than a mutual love of an external entity. Unity is unity, no matter how it’s achieved.
As Joe Biden’s national approval rate declines, he becomes the involuntary martyr, bringing people together not for him but against him. If trends continue and his national approval rate continues to drop, we may see a level of unity we haven’t seen in decades. The woke are awakening; the left and the right are unifying not for a common cause but a common enemy: Joe Biden. For this, I believe he should be un-ironically celebrated.
As a social work professor, I’ve already seen some of the qualitative evidence of the quantitative data. The nation beginning to unify against Biden, and higher education is also seeing a shift. It’s not just the usual economics and STEM faculty, but psychology, sociology, social work, and even gender-studies faculty have begun unifying against Biden. I cannot think of one common cause that could bring such different worlds as economics and gender studies together, but a common enemy has.
It’s also not just faculty. Students have been unifying against Biden. I’ve recently witnessed something I never thought I would: a MAGA hat-wearing student befriending a Bernie shirt-wearing student, coming together not for a common cause but a common enemy: Biden. Granted, this friendship and unity among students, faculty and the nation may not last. At best, we’ll remain unified forever; at worst, we’ll forever remember that we can unify.
With two years left in his presidency, President Biden has already begun unifying America in a way he never intended. But not all success is necessarily intentional. After much division, unity is good for America. We’re starting to become more curious, starting to do our own research without simply taking voices of authority at their word. A more curious nation yields a more educated nation. As an educator, what more could I ask?
With every percentage point decrease in Biden’s approval rating, there is an equal and opposite increase in national unity and curiosity. The question is, will this all end with Biden or will it continue with his party? Will the awakening of the woke lead to an attribution of responsibility to Biden alone or to his party? We don’t know the answer to that question. What we do know is that Americans from many different ideological perspectives are now starting to come together to give each other a chance to speak and listen … thanks involuntarily to Joe Biden.
