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Bias
Beyond 'Us' and 'Them'
How to overcome 'beliefism' and bridge divides.
Posted February 27, 2025 Reviewed by Margaret Foley
Key points
- Beliefism is a bias in which you discriminate against or dismiss those who hold different views.
- The modern world reinforces division: From echo chambers to segregation, we rarely engage across difference.
- We can rewire our thinking by practicing empathy and curiosity, and seeing people as more than their beliefs.
In my life and work, I advocate for tolerance and empathy. I believe that connecting with people who hold different views is not just valuable but necessary. It’s easy to surround ourselves with like-minded people who reinforce and echo our own beliefs. But real understanding and change require engagement across difference.
Recently, I put this principle into practice, attending a public talk by someone whose views I "knew" I would oppose. Based on what I knew of their identity and political history, I assumed their beliefs were antithetical to mine. And yet, I went. I listened, asked questions, and gave my time. While my core values weren’t transformed in those two hours, I learnt something and left with a deeper appreciation for the complexity of other perspectives.
In this weeknight activity, I was actively trying to tackle 'beliefism," a divisive phenomenon behavioural scientist Paul Dolan describes whereby, in surrounding yourself with people who share your views, you discriminate against those who disagree. In this way, beliefism fuels division and entrenches polarisation—building walls instead of bridges.
Indeed, beliefism is rife in modern society. A significant part of the problem stems from the fact that we live in a world that is both physically and virtually segregated. We rarely interact with people from other walks of life. Social media algorithms stoke the fires of division, locking us into echo chambers that reinforce our preexisting beliefs and stifle debate.
Ultimately, where many forces are driving us apart, we must think—what can we do to unpack division and restore cohesion?
Beliefism as a bias
We can begin by trying to understand the psychology of beliefism, which at its core is a form of bias—a mental shortcut in which we categorise people according to single traits or generalising assumptions. Indeed, in a world that is infinitely complex, our minds use these biases to simplify and make sense of the world.
The thing is, when we see others only through the lens of their political or social beliefs, we reduce and flatten them to a single dimension. In doing so, we warp our perceptions of reality and fail to see people as multifaceted individuals. Further, when people feel they are dismissed or disregarded only for their beliefs, they are left feeling isolated and misunderstood, often counterproductively doubling down on the views they were condemned for.
Beyond ‘us’ and ‘them’
Secondly, we can understand the tendency for beliefism as part of our evolutionary desire to establish a community or tribe. Indeed, our brains are wired to create an "in-group" that is distinct from the "out-group"—to sort people into an "us" and "them." Here, part of solidifying your own political community entails excluding or dismissing those who hold different views.
The problem is that while we may be psychologically inclined towards this behaviour, it’s not good for building empathy or community. While this instinct may have once served evolutionary purposes, today, it hinders meaningful dialogue and cooperation. Indeed, research shows that overcoming beliefism has benefits. When we embrace a multiplicity of ideas and perspectives, we are able to overcome group-think and make better decisions and judgements. What’s more, less beliefist people are generally happier, having stronger, more fulfilling relationships and broader horizons.
Once we set the intention to break beliefism, we can embark on a journey to rewire our brains and challenge divisive thinking. Luckily, there are a number of relevant, research-backed psychological techniques that human rights lawyer, entrepreneur, and meditation teacher Anu Gupta recommends to build tolerance and break bias. We might exercise individuation, seeing people as multifaceted individuals and breaking away from reductive ways of thinking. We can practice perspective-taking, building empathy by stepping into someone else’s shoes and trying to see the world through their eyes.
Towards tolerance and understanding
Ultimately, the way forward is not through binary divisions of "us" versus "them," but through a recognition of our shared humanity. When you notice yourself disregarding or disengaging from someone because of a single view they express, remind yourself that each person exists at the intersection of many identities, experiences, and beliefs. Challenge yourself to practice empathy, and remember that no one is wholly defined by the worst thing they have said or done.
In the words of Rumi: "Out beyond ideas of wrong doing and right doing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there." If we are to move beyond the polarisation that fractures our society, we must find ways to meet in that field—we must consciously choose engagement over avoidance, curiosity over judgment, and understanding over dismissal.
