How have Americans become so divided from each other—and how can commercial real estate professionals help heal the divide?
Technology has enabled people to self-sort to an immense degree, according to Michael Smerconish. The celebrated radio host, television personality and bestselling author will deliver a keynote address on Sunday, July 14 at the 2024 BOMA International Conference & Expo that promises solutions for overcoming this polarization and finding greater understanding and cooperation. “Self-sorting means that we are choosing to live among and associate with the like-minded, and technology has been a huge accelerant in that regard,” he explained.
Essentially, it has become much easier to live in an echo chamber where we only hear information that reinforces our existing views. Commercial real estate can’t solve this long-term trend overnight—but it can play a critical role in bringing people back together.
How? Buildings create a destination and encourage people to mix. Increasing office utilization isn’t just important for the companies that own office buildings—getting people to talk to each other in those buildings is crucial for the mental health of individual employees and the gradual improvement of society.
“What we have to do is convince society, employers and businesses that there’s this added intangible when we’re having a debate about whether it’s OK to be remote and how much,” Smerconish said. “The more we are out of those buildings, the less socialization, learning and mentorship is taking place.”
Property professionals have an individual role to play in bringing society together too, Smerconish said. He recommended two strategies to help heal the divide and find common ground with others:
- Change the channel. “You need to mix up your media diet,” he recommended. “Too many people are hunkered down in silos that meet their partisan objective. We’ve become a world where some are all MSNBC and Slate and Salon, and some are all Fox News and terrestrial talk radio. I want people to do what I do, which is use that remote, change the channel and balance your diet.”
- Join something. “Be part of an affinity organization,” he urged. “Participate in a bowling league. Go to a library—they still exist. We’ve just got to get out and associate with individuals who don’t look and think like we do.”
“It’s time to mingle. It’s time to get out and do the things our grandparents did. They were joiners,” Smerconish added. “Whatever the new millennium, 2024 version is of where we go to be exposed to folks in our community who we might not know, we’ve got to find it.”
Still need to register for the 2024 BOMA International Conference & Expo? There’s still time to reserve your spot!
