By “If You Can Keep It,” a newsletter associated with Protect Democracy.org.

Here are four things [we] remind ourselves about when grappling with threats to democracy, this week and every week. Little tips that we find help with talking about the real dangers of authoritarianism in ways that are effective and can strengthen our democracy rather than feed polarization: 

• Be careful to humanize. Around the world, dehumanizing rhetoric is a first step towards the disintegration of political life and even mass violence. We can disagree strongly and criticize plans and policies without belittling the humanity of anyone in our democracy.

• Triple-check your facts. At this point in our national story, pointing out the destructiveness of dis- and misinformation is almost trite. But it remains true. Conspiracy theories and misinformation drive conflict and extremism, especially when most people already wildly overestimate how willing their political rivals are to engage in violence first.

• Acknowledge political differences and disagreements with humility and openness to being wrong. Healthy democracy involves sincere and real policy differences. We are — as the late Senator John McCain put it — a “boisterous” democracy, with a diversity of views and preferences and people and experiences. Sometimes the best way to keep things cool is by celebrating healthy disagreement within our democratic system. (For instance, the two of us disagree on numerous policy and ideological questions — it’s great.) 

• Lead from hope, not just fear. Most importantly, fear is corrosive to our civic fabric. Authoritarianism thrives on fear, anger, despair, and hopelessness. When we are channeling only those negative emotions, we can’t help but feed the downward spiral. Find the hope — our democracy depends on it.