The horrific assassination of legendary conservative activist Charlie Kirk is a cultural reckoning for America.

Yesterday, Kirk stumped at a Turning Point USA (TPUSA) rally at Utah Valley University, civically engaging students on issues such as transgenderism and gun violence. Kirk promoted dialogue and forums at countless colleges prior, part of a greater effort to educate and mobilize a generation discouraged by current affairs. Tragically, one shot rang out that cut the conversation—and Kirk's life—short, and as of this writing the assailant is still at large.

As America mourns the loss of Charlie Kirk, a substantive void must be addressed. Our nation has lost the ability to hold a national conversation, and our failure to revive it has had deadly consequences.

The reasons for this decline are numerous. Social media has accelerated polarization, limiting meaningful and cross-ideological interactions by catering content to our interests. Trust in public institutions, which are meant to facilitate responsiveness, has plunged as partisanship persists. Unequal academic and occupational treatment under the guise of diversity, equity, and inclusion has boxed in American opportunity and left many questioning their worth. In turn, our "great" communicators have spawned a culture of disillusionment among the masses, with common social values, like empathy and manners, in

© Newsweek