Why are elections around the world increasingly experiencing polarization?

Elections around the world are becoming more polarized because people are choosing sides like kids picking teams for a game.

Imagine you're at a playground with your friends, and there's a big race coming up. At first, everyone gets along, some of you run fast, others are slow, but you all cheer each other on. But then, one day, someone says, "We should only pick the fastest runners for our team!" Now, the whole group starts arguing about who is the best runner and who deserves to be on which side. Soon, your friends are divided into two big groups, Team Fast and Team Not So Fast, and they don’t even talk to each other anymore.

That’s kind of what's happening with elections. People used to agree on many things, but now they're choosing between two very different ideas, like picking the fastest runner or not. This makes it harder for people to find common ground, and so the groups grow bigger and more divided, just like at the playground.

Sometimes, adults in charge of the game shout louder about who is better, which means kids listen only to their side. This can turn a fun race into something that feels like a big argument, and it’s hard to go back to playing nicely together.