You’re cutting into your Thanksgiving dinner with your grandma’s old plastic cutlery when you hear your uncle start spewing political talking points left and right.

The room goes silent, and you look at your cousins in defeated anticipation of what’s about to come: a screaming match between your entire family, all competing for a second of silence to be heard.

Things will eventually die down, and you’ll go back to unsteady awkwardness until it’s time to go home. Rinse and repeat the next year. And the next. And the next. Nobody’s views are changed because of it; in fact, they’re probably even more deep-rooted.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Ideally, the world and your community can provide spaces for civil discourse, however that’s not a reality in many places, including in our school. All hope isn’t lost though.

You can play a part in fixing this problem, and you can do so in two ways.

You can start with yourself, by widening your news intake. A first step is following news sites on social media so that you learn about events that wouldn’t otherwise show up in your personal algorithm. It’s important to note, however, that this is only a first step; it’s not ideal. News publications don’t post every story on social media; only the ones likely to get the most clicks. This means that the stories you view using this method will likely be a mix of inflammatory current events and light pop-culture, but it’s a good way to at least begin widening your news intake.

Second, you can discuss your findings with those of other political views. It’s recommended to do this in person, as it’s easier to have a civil discussion this way. If you’re planning to have one online, try to genuinely listen to what they are saying. Even if you leave the conversation with the exact same viewpoint you had before, you’ll at least have insight into what “the other side” believes, which can be valuable to your worldview in the long run.

The lack of civil discourse in this country, especially on social media, can feel like a fundamental part of American society, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. You can do your part to create a better, more transparent world for all of us.