If You Could Help Ease the Divisions in America, Would You Do It?

Our disagreements aren’t causing the divisions in our country; it’s what we do when we disagree. Do we treat the other side with dignity, or do we treat them with contempt? The first brings us together; the second drives us apart.

We created The Dignity Index to show us the difference. To learn more about the principles of dignity and how they can be applied in our families, communities, workplaces, and country, check out The Dignity Index. Take the Dignity Pledge and sign up to follow the dignity movement!

Is This The Bible?

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Last week, I gave a talk about our dignity movement to a conference of higher education leaders. I shared our core beliefs: that how we treat each other is the new issue of our time, that the Dignity Index helps us see that we’ve all become more contemptuous than we realize, and that with a little effort and new skills, we can all do better. 

Highlights from the Launch of The Index

Watch

In the fall of 2022, The Dignity Index’s pilot earned national attention. In a national climate dominated by contempt, The Index was seen across the political spectrum as a reliable, fair, and intuitive alternative. 

We Believe Words Have

Political discourse that demonizes the other side is crippling our democracy and dividing our families. The cause? Words. Studies have shown that language rooted in contempt creates division, while language rooted in dignity can overcome it. We will put that to the test in our pilot season by analyzing the political speech in Utah’s federal congressional races.

Leading the Movement

The Dignity Index was created in partnership with leaders in the field of behavioral science, politics, and communication, and was tested and refined by researchers at the University of Utah, the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, and the Hinckley Institute of Politics.