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 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!


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Latest News

Final Week with the National Citizens Panel: Dignity Awards

Panelists Reflect on Ten Months of Scoring Speech for Dignity or Contempt

View the Results →

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Highlights from the Launch of The Index

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. 

 
 

Watch

Highlights from the Launch of The Index

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. 

 

How It Works

The Dignity Index

The Dignity Index is an eight-point scale that scores speech along a continuum from contempt to dignity in as unbiased a manner as possible. By focusing on the sound bites, not the people behind them, the Index attempts to stay true to its own animating spirit: that everyone deserves dignity.


“They’re not even human. It’s our moral duty to destroy them before they destroy us.” “Those people are evil and they’re going to ruin our country if we let them. It’s us or them.” “We’re the good people and they’re the bad people. It’s us vs. them.” “We’re better than those people. I don’t trust them.” “The other side has a right to be here and a right to be heard. It’s their country too.” “We always talk to the other side, searching for the values and interests we share.” “We fully engage with the other side, discussing even the values and interests we don’t share, so we know where they’re coming from.” “Each one of us is born with inherent worth, so we treat everyone with dignity—no matter what.”
Learn More →

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.

About the Initiative →

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.

See All Partners →
 
 

 Follow the Movement

Stay up to date on our work to strengthen dignity across the country.

 
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