The policy of "divide and conquer" is working. Maybe "divide and neutralize" would be more accurate. Polarization based on competing ideologies, blind partisanship, refusal to give the "other side" a fair hearing prevents any real progress on just about any front.

Unfortunately, it is accurate to say that nothing will really change. I want you to change; you want me to change. You want me to come around to your way of thinking; I want you to come around to my way of thinking. "Compromise" means that one side must yield 100% to the other side's position. But both sides (all sides?) have their heels firmly dug in, because both sides are irrevocably convinced that theirs is the correct one and that the other side is just dead wrong.

And so we will go onward in our death spiral towards ultimate oblivion. The lessons of history have not been learned. It is doubtful whether future civilizations will learn anything from our experiences.

And we call it "progress".