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Coach
Now. That's quite prevalent
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Anonymous User
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Pro
I have a confession to make.
Rising Star
Enthusiast
This aged well...
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Chief
Avoid avoid avoid... Don't necessarily have to avoid the person but don't engage with the topic. (This does probably limit how much time you'll spend with them.) I was in this position with my grandpa but kept calling him weekly just to let him know he matters to me. When he passed away last month I was glad I did call while I still could. Not saying preserve the relationship if they insist on bringing it up constantly. Some relationships can be preserved across this divide but most can't.
Save it for thanksgiving dinner
Ahhhhh yeah 😎
Listen to each other and discuss...
There is no evidence to suggest the average intelligence of US population is high. We are fundamentally not disagreeing here?
My wife and I both decided that we would rather ignore politics all together when it comes to family, rather than let it divide us and create friction. We know who in the family has significantly different views and act accordingly.
If a family member tries to engage or brings something up (no matter how crazy) we choose not to respond or to play it off and not engage with them on the subject.
We have friends who literally do not talk to a branch of their family due to their political views. My wife and I aren't willing to sacrifice our familial relationships for politics like that.
Discussing used to be an option. Now the 2 sides we get to pick from are so divided, it seems that for many people compromise isn’t possible. I know quite a few people in this scenario. Personally, I would immediately and definitively cut those people out of my life with zero contact.
Saw it.
By recognizing that just because I know things, it doesn’t make my wisdom infinite. Intelligent people can disagree on politics. That’s one of the only truths I’ve come to learn. I remember that there’s many things I don’t know and many perspectives I don’t have, and many places I’ve never been. Recognizing that I had a privileged upbringing and a lot of formal education but do not the slightest clue what it’s like to fight in a war or grow up dirt poor and create a good life for a family with little help from anybody. People who had it a lot harder than I did (and sacrificed for me to not have to deal with what they did) deserve my respect regardless of their politics.
You may not have infinite wisdom, but you probably know who won the 2020 election. Hard to respect people that call you a liar and a cheat. But I certainly appreciate your sentiment.
Either try not to discuss it, or try your best to have calm and rational conversations if you do talk about it. I disagree with my parents, close family, and some friends on a lot of things. I don’t try to change their minds, and try my best to understand where they’re coming from and how their life experiences may have shaped their views compared to mine. Some people nowadays aren’t willing to have a reasonable conversation with the other side, so if that’s the case I would just ignore any political talk, however frustrating it may be.
remind them that as long as im gay, i cant have a serious discussion about how much you love mike pence
if they're your friends/family, you should be able to speak with them about thousands of other topics aside from politics
t. someone who disagrees politically with ~75% of my best friends and family
Enthusiast
I try to have one rationale discussion and try to listen and reason. If it doesn’t work, then I completely avoid the topic the next time.
Pro
If it is with my husband, I usually discuss. If it is with my husband’s family I avoid at all cost. They are very one sided and I am not even sure they realized I don’t alway agree with what they believe.
Enthusiast
Tried to avoid it but apparently DJT is my father’s long lost brother and the election was just too much so the passion was uncontrollable.
If there is hope of a rational and respectful dialogue that seeks to understand versus just being “right” then go for it. If there isn’t a high probability of that occurring then determine the importance of the conversation versus the person. Politics, in my opinion, is not more important than family but realize that the other person may not see it that way.
My husband and I avoid discussing politics. He isn't capable of having a reasoned dialogue and I don't like to be yelled at, so we avoid. I like him enough to keep him around in spite of this divide. 🙂
Avoid. I have not spoken to some friends much in the last few months. Sometimes it’s best to just withdraw. For your own sanity.
6 months ago I would have said “let it go, be the bigger person.” Now I say set boundaries. If they talk crazy call in a wellness check. They will get the hint.
We avoid it at all costs. My cousins all know the hard fast "no politics" rule. My dad needed reminding, but a few times of reminding him that I'll stop talking with him if he cant contain himself from bringing it up, and hes now pretty good at avoiding it, too.
Politics evolve over time. I don't see this itch folks have to discuss political views with their family members. I mean your siblings or parents don't love you depending on your political views why to spoil your evening discussing them. I think it's a very American thing for folks to like something (sports team, UNIVERSITY, political philosophy etc.) and then spend rest of the time trying to convince others to do the same. Your parents grew up in different time and have seen recessions and wars or stock market crashes where folks lost most of their savings. So now pardon the for not getting on board of stimulus checks (which I support) or investing in stock market (saw a post where someone was mad trying to get their spouse to invest in stocks and couldn't understand why they would resist, tesla amirite?).
Realize you can agree to disagree and talk about other stuff 🤷🏾♂️. Or go drastic and start slicing people out your life.
I’ve learned to have compassion for people so polarized by their ego and wanting to be right. After months of arguing with people, I realized it was bringing nothing but negative energy into my life. Just learn to let it go. We are all products of our own conditioning.