To what extent do you feel like your friend’s political or societal views are a reflection of your own views?

2 comments

1. I seek out and develop friendships with people whose company I enjoy and who I feel I can trust to be good, ethical, kind, intelligent friends and members of society. In my situation, political views significantly different from my own would not meet my requirements for that person being someone I feel I can trust to be good, ethical, kind, or make intelligent decisions, so I would not choose that person as a friend.

   If someone is friends with hateful bigots, nazis, fascists, or those whose sociopolitical views are hateful, oppressive, and ignorant, then it reflects on that person. You choose the company you keep. If someone chooses to surround themselves with hateful and ignorant people, then they are at the very least comfortable with those hateful and ignorant views.

   My friends and I share political and societal views because those are important facets of who we are and why we chose to become friends.

2. The overarching values and views are the same, the minutiae vary. I think that is necessary for friendship. I don’t understand how you can be friends with someone with diametrically opposed views.