A while back I wrote about how angry America seems to be and how as business people, we need to make sure our products don’t wind up on the forefront of consumer rage. The piece got me thinking about another question – why are we so angry?

I can’t help but be startled by the mass frustration that is strewn across the television and web. And maybe that’s the problem – maybe we are seeing so much rage and then in turn are becoming angrier.

A few months ago I did a series of blogs based on my interview with Dr. Marco Iacoboni, the author of Mirroring People:  The New Science of How We Connect with Others.  Iacoboni, a neurologist and neuroscientist, is a leading authority on a recently discovered system in the brain called the “mirror neuron system.”

Iacoboni’s research has shown that we see other people as ourselves reflected as if in a mirror. In other words, I will understand a situation or an individual’s feelings because my mirror neurons pretend that I am going through the same thing.

The traditional humanistic view is that we are all individualists, and we only care about ourselves and our self-preservation. The discovery of mirror neurons clearly shows that this isn’t the case, and instead, we are wired to feel empathy.

So if we smile when we see smiling people, then doesn’t the same thing happen when we see rage? When we are surrounded by anger, then we become angrier. So despite the fact that we are actually wired to be empathetic and good, the bombardment of negative images makes us more negative.

Think about it – there is rage everywhere. The news keeps showing angry town hall protests, people are booing at the Opera, and pundits scream at one another on television. It’s no wonder people are so angry. Add in genuine fear – fear of losing jobs, fear of growing national debt, and fear of terrorist nations – and we are a melting pot of water getting ready to boil.

So how do we fix this? Well, we could start with remembering what’s good about our society as a whole. The news could show a few positive stories for a change, and maybe President Obama can use some of that calm charm to remind us that we are in this fight as one country, one people.

Iacoboni says that “labels” are what drive people apart. Because humans tend to separate each other into groups, we lose some ability to empathize with people on a humanistic level.

And he's right. For example, let’s look at the healthcare debate. What’s interesting is that almost everyone out there can agree that some healthcare reform is necessary. But our leaders cannot find common ground. Democrats took tort reform off the table from the beginning and Republicans won’t even discuss a public option. The refusal to see the debate from multiple perspectives will cause none of us to win.

So let’s get on the same page. Let’s bend a little so that the country doesn’t break. Let’s remember that this is our home, our nation, and that our diversity and work ethic make us great. And ask yourself the questions below to see how you can do a better job of uniting your office, family or community.

1. What activities can we perform to make our office or family feel more like a team?
2. Is there a new product, service or discount that my company can provide to spread the message of inclusion?
3. Can I partner with other local companies to strengthen my local community and economy?