Do you pick who you discuss it with? How do you bring it up? And how can you keep the discussion civil if the person you are discussing it with has opposing views?
I’m not originally from the US, and I used to discuss politics all the time. But after moving here, I notice people get mad if you don’t share their views on sensitive political or social issues. Insults are thrown around, and the communication breaks down.
How can you respectfully debate or communicate with someone that does not share your views? Is there a platform that allows dialogues like this without conversations turning into barking?
36 comments
I avoid it unless it’s with someone I know is chill and can handle talking through what they believe without viewing questions as attacks.
I don’t. I remember when it was considered impolite to do so and I wish that social norm was reinstated.
People who get angry about it are just demonstrating their lack of intelligence and inability to see beyond their limited sphere. These people believe there is only one side to a coin and are best to be avoided.
In a way, I always appreciate people showing me their true colors up front. Saves me a lot of time!
I’m from the UK and politics are discussed here in a kitchen with your older family members after way too much alcohol with a lot of shouting involved
Hope this helps
I play this fun little game of I deliberately switch sides depending the other person’s side, just to piss them off. It’s pretty funny to think of them as a Down syndrome kid going into rage mode arguing why their fictional super hero is better than yours.
I only discuss politics with like minded individuals
Don’t waste your time. People don’t change their minds and will just get mad. If you refute what they believe with reason, they will resort to, “Do you have a source for that?”
I really only hang with like minded people tbh
First you have to tell the difference between someone that likes to talk about it, and someone that likes to debate. A lot of the people that want to talk about it can’t handle being challenged. Those are people looking for an echo box and should really be avoided.
When your political beliefs are so strong that they can’t survive some constructive scrutiny, then its more like dogma or part of your identity rather than just a world view. In this country, we are also capitalist so many people are playing a zero sum game and see fights to be won everywhere. I think these are symptoms of a country in identity crisis.
But thats just my opinion. I would be happy to debate with you, but I have no interest in arguing.
I’m an anarchist and know both sides are crooked and robbing us. So frankly I don’t care who I piss off. Until people quick bickering over their differences that are driven by the uniparty theater, they won’t realize we all get screwed in the end.
I don’t do that anymore. It’s a waste of time.
36/M/Canada here. I personally view politics in the same vein as religion. In other words, I play with my cards close to my chest. I only reveal my views with either people I’m very close to, or if directly questioned.
I don’t have time to debate politics or anything similarly inflammatory with anyone. Discussion leads to arguments, at least as far as my extended family is concerned. I know I won’t change any opinions, not will my relatives change mine.
I don’t. Couldn’t care less about other people’s opinions and I don’t have the energy or will to share my own points of view
You can’t, people’s political party is their new religion.
Like this
” the United States has always been about white christian male supremacy and having the military power to enforce it. Anything else is viewed as evil. There never was a separation of church and state. They commited crimes against humanity then put laws in place so that those atrocities cant be done back to them. Politics these days havent changed at all. They dont accomplish shit and cant, and wont, even undo the fucked up shit its already done. So fuck politics.”
Don’t get ideological. Discuss concrete, specific, local problems and how to solve them.
For instance:
* There aren’t enough local daycares to meet demand for the workers I would like to hire (and who would need to relocate here).
* As a town, we invest a lot of money in educating young people, who then leave our town to take high-paying jobs elsewhere. Meantime, we have trouble attracting businesses that create high-paying jobs.
* We have a lot of unhoused people with substance abuse issues and (probably) mental disorders. This is dangerous both for them and for the people around them. How do we get these people the help they need and also keep them from harming others?
*That’s* real politics. Fake politics is the ideologically-motivated discussion of non-actionable situations like e.g. the national deficit, the existence of transsexuals, or climate change. You might as well argue about the weather.
>Do you pick who you discuss it with?
Yes.
>How do you bring it up?
Slowly. And you drop it if they’re not interested.
>And how can you keep the discussion civil if the person you are discussing it with has opposing views?
Look for someone whose values you both share and keep them at the forefront of the discussion. It doesn’t matter how you feel about the AR-15 if you both agree that there’s an issue.
I try not to, it’s completely pointless because both sides are full of zealots. It’s actually ruined my relationship since my gf refuses to respect my boundaries and constantly goes on sociopolitical rants anytime she sees something she dislikes in the media
I don’t bother. The vast majority of people have already made up their minds and refuse to accept anything but what their preferred propaganda machine regurgitates out. If you do manage to get someone’s attention, they inevitably ask for a source and them attack the credibility of the source rather than the content.
“Source? Source???? NO NOT THAT SOURCE REEEEEEEEEEE!” – Every Redditor ever.
It’s pointless and tiresome.
I try not to, if someone opens up the door I will, be it if I’m in agreement or if I’m in disagreement, I try to keep a cool head and try to genuinely understand their point of view and how they reached it. I don’t mind discussing, even arguing politics online with strangers when I’m bored, but in person I’d rather talk about almost anything else, as I find it or be very boring.
I don’t because I don’t see much reason to. Most people no matter theb country just want to discuss some arbitrary differences “left”/”right”, “liberal”/”conservative”, “green”/”industrial” or whatever. But ultimately all this amounts to nothing as the path remains the same at its core. More debt, more government power, fewer rights and more burdens for citizens. It is just the order in which the oppression will change but in the end all will have to kneel equally in front of the power greedy.
And to admit that is nothing anyone really wants to do, as “their side” is obviously morally superior or something.
No… there is no reason to discuss politics as long as there is only one direction amongst all of them.
I find that discussing politics in person always goes fine here but then again I’m Canadian so our political discussions are more about if we should raise taxes, make cuts or what social programs should get money. It’s easy to have a discussion on if putting money to health care is better than putting it into building some wind turbines.
In the US it seems like people argue about things more like “should gay people be allowed in public?” or “do women deserve rights?” and these are somehow split 50/50 and peoples lives are getting very greatly affected by these so of course some people are going to get upset.
So I guess you discuss politics by not being in the hellscape known as the USA.
Carefully in person. Online discussion is often just a time waster for when I’m taking a poo
Sadly, many of the things written of as politics or opinion nowadays are actually neither. 2 plus 2 is 4, that’s not an opinion. Inequality is degenerate, that is not politics
I simply dont
I’ve cut the discussion of politics out of my life completely. I don’t care about anyone’s opinions anymore. I vote for the people I like the most, and whose policies line up with my biggest issues.
My life is better without the constant screaming matchs and debates.
Start non-political at first, then slowly introduce some things or ideas that could be tangentially related. See how they respond, if they’re into it. Or mention things in vague terms. I was speaking to a new co-worker and I mentioned “oh, I was listening to a British podcast” instead of naming it, because it could be controversial, but he asked, “oh is it (the name of the podcast)” and I knew I had found a fellow-traveler.
Dont waste your time .. i used to want to change their minds with logic .but they argue with emotions and emotions dont get results..you can try till your blue in the face but they just call you a “ist” or a “ism” and block you from fakebook.
By mocking everyone and every idea that I can
things you probably shouldn’t discuss about:
1- diets
2- politics
3- religions
I don’t, it’s not worth the headache and it’s a triggering subject. Mainly because of all the misinformation on both sides.
I dunno, we’re all pretty weird here in the US.
Pro Tip: Don’t. You aren’t going to change anyone’s mind and don’t do it especially if you have to spend time around them.
It has long been said that in the United States, the only two things you can’t talk about are religion and politics. I’d make a 21st Century version that adds abortion and guns to that mantra.
Either way, in recent years (especially in the social media age) that time-worn tradition has faded, and now conversations about all sorts of third-rail topics are common. I do not believe this is for the better. For decades we lived peaceably beside people who may not have voted how we did, may not have shared our beliefs, but who were wonderful neighbors and great friends all the same. To get back to that, perhaps we should shelve the political infighting and simply start enjoying those relationships again.
My advice to you is to be friendly, share stories, but perhaps not share your views on something as hot-button as politics. There’s nothing to gain from it, and an awful lot to lose.
Just depends who talking too. But usually don’t talk politics much.
Both sides of my family have a saying, it’s “You can be whatever you want, just don’t be a politician!”