Big Sort

The Big Sort: Why the Clustering of Like-Minded American is Tearing Us Apart, 2009 book by Bill Bishop ISBN:0547237723 http://www.thebigsort.com/

America may be more diverse than ever coast to coast, but the places where we live are becoming increasingly crowded with people who live, think, and vote like we do. This social transformation didn't happen by accident. We've built a country where we can all choose the neighborhood and church and news show — most compatible with our lifestyle and beliefs. And we are living with the consequences of this way-of-life segregation. Our country has become so polarized, so ideologically inbred, that people don't know and can't understand those who live just a few miles away. The reason for this situation, and the dire implications for our country, is the subject of this ground-breaking work. In 2004, journalist Bill Bishop made national news in a series of articles when he first described "the big sort." The Big Sort will draw comparisons to Robert Putnam's Bowling Alone and Richard Florida's The Rise of the Creative Class and will redefine the way Americans think about themselves for decades to come. (Red vs Blue, Urban Archipelago)