as we close another night reflecting on the state of democracy and how it's going to be saved, one thing is clear. it's going to take all of us. everyone on the left and the right to reach solutions. but how do we do that in the age of toxic tribalism and the big lie? perhaps, it is a matter of realizing the dangers of illiberalism. that is a concept john avlon's going to break down in tonight's reality check. it is an important topic. >> it sure is. it goes to the heart of what we are dealing with right now because, jim, the poisonous polarization, it is the feedback loop that drives americans into tribal camps. convinced that the other side is not merely mistaken but evil. and this vicious cycle is primarily a matter of negative perception driven by which side of the divide people feel is a bigger threat to our country. makes reasoning together almost impossible but we have got to