Two questions have been gnawing at the American body politic in recent years: How did we get to the point where, it seems, half of the country now hates the other half, and vice versa? And how do we claw our way back to something that resembles normalcy? While politicians and pundits are quick to offer their theories about the first question — often to advance their own agendas — few seem equipped to address the second.
Enter Doug Teschner, Beth Malow and Becky Robinson, authors from across the political spectrum who came together to write a book about how to heal our fractured nation. Beyond the Politics of Contempt: Practical Steps to Build Positive Relationships in Divided Times, published in September, takes on what writer Amanda Ripley once dubbed the “conflict entrepreneurs” — people who fan the flames of division to gain power, influence and profit. But for the Americans who are tired of all the polarization — or the “exhausted majority,” as the authors refer to them — the three writers argue that it’s not too late to build bridges across the political divide, if you know how.
The authors have done so themselves. Teschner, 76, of West Lebanon, N.H., is a former Republican member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives who served as a Peace Corps country director in Ukraine and several African countries. Dismayed by the divisive state of American politics, he made a New Year’s resolution in January 2024 to write this book.
Malow, 63, of Quechee, is a Long Island native. She grew up in a household that consistently voted Democratic and has spent most of her life in the Northeast. But Malow’s 21 years of living and working as a neurologist in the suburbs of Nashville, Tenn., helped broaden her ideological outlook. She and Teschner met through a New England chapter of Braver Angels, a national nonprofit that works to strengthen American democracy by bringing together people with different worldviews to find their shared values.
Robinson, 55, hails from a conservative evangelical Christian family in the Midwest. A lifelong Republican voter until 2020 now living in Michigan, she signed on to the book project the day after the November 2024 election, in part because of her concern over the Trump administration’s policies toward the LGBTQ community, which directly affect her family.
Beyond the Politics of Contempt is the first book of its kind for all three authors and their first collaboration. This is Teschner’s first book; Malow previously wrote a book on solving sleep problems in children with autism; Robinson has written three on how to market books, causes and ideas. Their slim volume offers a mix of bite-size anecdotes from each writer, practical advice for minimizing conflict when discussing controversial subjects and bulleted questions for discussion.
“This book is not about ‘kumbaya’ and compromise,” they write. “Disagreement and conflict are an inevitable part of democratic governance … The problem is when those disagreements cross over into unhealthy conflict, demonizing people with different views. We need to respect those who disagree with us, to honor each person’s humanity.”
Seven Days spoke to Teschner and Malow recently by video call.
Do you think there’s something inherent in human nature or brain evolution that makes us want to choose sides?
BETH MALOW: I do. I’m a neurologist and was drawn into neurology because of these kinds of questions. Anthropology tells us that we needed to protect ourselves and our tribe, and this tendency extends into modern life: How do you fit in with your group and make sure you’re all thinking the same way? We’ll often look at a news article or issue and impulsively ask ourselves, Is this idea consistent with my tribe or not? Does this fit in with what I’m supposed to think as a Democrat or a Republican? It’s a very strong force.
DOUG TESCHNER: It’s human nature to protect myself and also want to reach out to other people, connect with them and show them kindness. Humans represent both sides of that coin. But what we’re seeing now is how certain factors — in particular, social media and the “conflict entrepreneurs” — are exploiting that division. It gets drummed into our heads, and we go down these rabbit holes on social media. People are more siloed than they’ve ever been. But when you get people to sit in a room together and talk to one another, there’s a lot less division.
How do we find common ground when Americans live in completely different information ecosystems and can’t even agree on the most basic facts of what happened today?
BM: This is the No. 1 question we get. What I feel, and what Braver Angels has taught us, is that even though we don’t agree on the facts, if we dig deeper there are usually values that we agree on. During COVID, some people didn’t go for the vaccines and didn’t believe they were safe. Some people said, “Everybody has to be vaccinated.” Others asked, “Why are we closing the schools and businesses?” When you dig beneath the surface and really try to get at what we have in common, it’s about protecting the health of their family and community.
It’s OK to listen to people who tell you why they think the Earth is flat. It doesn’t mean that you agree with them. You’re simply giving them the respect to say, “I’m listening to you.” Afterwards, you can tell them why you think the world is not flat and do it in a way that’s not, “You’re stupid.”
DT: When I talk to people and they say, “I can’t talk to ‘those people’ because they don’t agree on the facts,” that’s a really dangerous point of view. You’ve got to be willing to talk to people. Where’s this going? Is your goal civil war? Because I don’t know what the other alternatives are.
Increasingly, Americans live in ideological bubbles. Eighty-five percent of Congressional seats are either solidly Democrat or solidly Republican. How do we address this siloed reality?
BM: Actually, I sometimes find it harder to talk to progressives than conservatives, even though I’m more moderately left. It’s so easy to go along with your tribe. Sometimes when I’ve questioned things, people will look at me like I’m a traitor: “Beth, it’s great that you’re such a nice person. But don’t you realize that this is a moral issue and the world is on fire?” But this is how we put the fire out: by talking to people.
What if the opposition doesn’t respect your rights or even your humanity and their views and policies are laced with racism, antisemitism or authoritarian tendencies?
DT: You have to start by talking to people as individuals. We all make quick assumptions about people and lump them into categories. Look at the person across from you and tease that out: Is that really true?
We’ve always had disagreements about policy — and we should. If you want your side to win, you’ve got to create a climate where people are thinking, OK, that guy is kind of reasonable. I might not agree with him, but he’s reasonable. Instead, we’ve gotten ourselves into camps where we say, “Those people are stupid, evil and dangerous.”
BM: In chapter 3, Doug wrote about Derek Black [now Adrianne Black, whose father, Don Black, is the founder of the far-right website Stormfront and godson of former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke]. These Jewish students at New College of Florida invited Black to their shabbat dinners, and they developed a relationship. Eventually, Black wrote an article renouncing white nationalism. So I’m of the ilk of, if you really want to give people a chance — even if your tribe thinks they’re racist, antisemitic or whatever — it’s not about being nice. It’s about being smart and pragmatic.
Do your positions of privilege ever blind you to the challenges that others, especially people of color, face when speaking to their political opponents?
BM: I’ve felt that a lot, even though I’m a woman and Jewish. I hate the term “privilege,” but I’ve had advantages. And I’m in a position where I have the ability to speak out and talk about the importance of bringing people together. Maybe it’s easier for me, but that’s why I’m doing this work. Every day I think about the issues you’re raising, asking: Is there a red line for people we cannot talk to?
Some issues are moral, and some issues aren’t moral but have been spun up by the media and conflict entrepreneurs to make us think that they’re moral.
DT: I agree. I have had enormous advantages, as I write in the book. But the use of language is critical. We have to be really careful with certain words, like “privilege.” It’s a normal word in English that’s taken on a new meaning, like “woke.” There’s a Braver Angels language guide, which includes words to be wary of. I’m not saying there isn’t privilege. Of course there’s privilege! I have enormous privilege. But some words have become charged in a way that turn people off.
Tell me about the work you’ve done with state legislatures.
DT: Braver Angels has an initiative, called Braver Politics, that’s done six workshops with the New Hampshire legislature. There’s now a caucus, called the Granite Bridge Legislative Alliance, whose steering committee is made up of three Republicans and three Democrats. The focus is on relationships. We’re not even talking about politics. The goal is: Let’s get to know each other better.
BM: I got to do these workshops where the Republicans and Democrats got together and realized that they have shared values, and they started doing things like going to baseball games together. We did workshops on how to deal with angry constituents, which is a common issue.
I did another workshop in Connecticut where it was two-to-one Democrats. Afterward, one of the Republicans commented about how good it felt to work across the aisle. They were meeting people they’d never met before. We’re hoping to make similar strides with the Vermont legislature. So it’s starting to happen, but it’s not easy. ➆
This interview was edited for clarity and length.
The original print version of this article was headlined “Striking Discord | Two Upper Valley writers with different ideological backgrounds contribute to a new book aiming to move Americans past the ‘politics of contempt'”
This article appears in February 18 • 2026.
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