TORN APART: 11 Charts That Show How Americans Are More Divided, Partisan, And Ideological Than Ever Before

Pew has published some new research that illustrates how the views of Americans has become alarmingly polarized over the past 20 years.

Basically, American who are staunchly conservative or liberal has doubled in the last decade, and these are these are the same people who are the most politically engaged. The result is a vicious circle of political animosity.

The trend is increasingly affecting where Americans choose to live, where they get their news, and with whom they associate. Consequently, as The Associated Press notes, "peaceful coexistence is increasingly difficult."

Pew Research

The party lines have hardened under President Barack Obama, whose average approval rating among Republicans in 14%.

And constituents of other parties don't like each other, either.

Pew Research

Pew Research

Put another way, conservatives are becoming more conservative and liberals are becoming more liberal.

Pew Research

Pew Research

This is especially true among the politically engaged.

Pew Research

The end result is fringes are growing ...

Pew Research

... which creates the vicious circle: The fringes are the most politically engaged - meaning that they are the main targets for politic ans and news media.

Pew Research

Here's an interactive progression of the political bifurcation over the last 20 years: