The insurer issued a news release stating that toxicity in communications are “threatening our future.”
Allstate Insurance recently issued a news release praising the strategies of The Better Arguments Project. This strategy is meant to help Americans to better navigate the current environment which consists of the “deepest political and cultural divides in our nation’s history.”
The insurer acknowledged that the divisions are only worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.
According to Allstate, “our collective future depends on Americans’ ability to come together.” However, at the same time, it didn’t recommend that arguments should stop. In fact, it underscored the value of arguing in a healthy way. In that effort, it pointed to the strategy offered by the leaders at The Better Arguments Project which suggest that we as a society should learn to argue more effectively.
“The word ‘argument’ shouldn’t be a bad word,” said Aspen Institute director Eric Liu, who was also a former White House speechwriter and deputy domestic policy advisor. “We believe arguments can bring people together. Our goal isn’t to get everyone to agree, it’s to help people learn more about our differences, and to challenge each other to think about positions other than our own.”
This position about opposing opinions is a foundation for The Better Arguments Project framework.
This civic initiative was brought together by the Allstate Corporation, the Aspen Institute and Facing History and Ourselves. These organizations are viewing this time of strong polarization as an opportunity to bring Americans together in a meaningful way. As such, they are offering free tools and resources to anyone seeking to bring people together in virtually any issue or situation. This can include everything from virtual schools and offices to family dinners or even social media.
“People are afraid they’ll be driven further apart from their neighbors, coworkers and even their loved ones because of their beliefs or values,” explained Allstate Corporate Brand senior vice president Stacy Sharpe when discussing the Better Arguments Project. “We should never be afraid to stand up and argue for what we believe in, but we need to 
do it in a better way. The only thing we should fear is the status quo, where unhealthy arguments will continue destroying civility, decency and the chance to thrive.”
