OT- Discussing politics with friends…

[jennyo]

I just avoid talking politics with friends that I know have different views. It’s like religion. I respect their right to their beliefs, and while I sometimes question whether they equally respect mine, its not worth the stress of argument.

Even at work, in a fairly politically-charged environment, everyone knows that spouting one’s personal views or challenging someone else’s will create problems down the road. Taking partisan sides is career suicide for a bureaucrat like me.

[patientlywaiting]

With good friends and family, tell it straight to them when it come to politics and other opinions you might have.

If they are good friends, they won’t mind. What’s important with friends is how they treat you and not their politics.

What a friend got engaged, I told to him straigth up that he was making a big mistake. I attended the wedding. Sure enough, a few years later the marriage ended up in divorce and cost him a lot of money.

If you’re afraid to tell them the truth, then they are not good friends, they are merely acquaintances. It’s healthy to have political debates. It was the “manly” thing to do in early America. People who did not vote were not considered respectable.

[patientlywaiting]

With good friends and family, tell it straight to them when it come to politics and other opinions you might have.

If they are good friends, they won’t mind. What’s important with friends is how they treat you and not their politics.

What a friend got engaged, I told to him straigth up that he was making a big mistake. I attended the wedding. Sure enough, a few years later the marriage ended up in divorce and cost him a lot of money.

If you’re afraid to tell them the truth, then they are not good friends, they are merely acquaintances. It’s healthy to have political debates. It was the “manly” thing to do in early America. People who did not vote were not considered respectable.

[patientlywaiting]

With good friends and family, tell it straight to them when it come to politics and other opinions you might have.

If they are good friends, they won’t mind. What’s important with friends is how they treat you and not their politics.

What a friend got engaged, I told to him straigth up that he was making a big mistake. I attended the wedding. Sure enough, a few years later the marriage ended up in divorce and cost him a lot of money.

If you’re afraid to tell them the truth, then they are not good friends, they are merely acquaintances. It’s healthy to have political debates. It was the “manly” thing to do in early America. People who did not vote were not considered respectable.

[patientlywaiting]

With good friends and family, tell it straight to them when it come to politics and other opinions you might have.

If they are good friends, they won’t mind. What’s important with friends is how they treat you and not their politics.

What a friend got engaged, I told to him straigth up that he was making a big mistake. I attended the wedding. Sure enough, a few years later the marriage ended up in divorce and cost him a lot of money.

If you’re afraid to tell them the truth, then they are not good friends, they are merely acquaintances. It’s healthy to have political debates. It was the “manly” thing to do in early America. People who did not vote were not considered respectable.

[patientlywaiting]

With good friends and family, tell it straight to them when it come to politics and other opinions you might have.

If they are good friends, they won’t mind. What’s important with friends is how they treat you and not their politics.

What a friend got engaged, I told to him straigth up that he was making a big mistake. I attended the wedding. Sure enough, a few years later the marriage ended up in divorce and cost him a lot of money.

If you’re afraid to tell them the truth, then they are not good friends, they are merely acquaintances. It’s healthy to have political debates. It was the “manly” thing to do in early America. People who did not vote were not considered respectable.

[jpinpb]

If someone wanted my honest opinion about something, I wouldn’t sugar-coat it. At the same time, when I know how someone feels about politics, I don’t feel the need to argue w/them. It’s exhausting and unlikely they will be open to changing their mind, but rather dig in their heels more. I found it better to chip away at issues, though. More success there. I’ve been swayed on certain issues, I might add. BUT don’t talk to me about real estate going up in price. Then I’ll really fight you 😉 and thanks to you Piggs, I can counter some of the crap people sling 🙂

[jpinpb]

If someone wanted my honest opinion about something, I wouldn’t sugar-coat it. At the same time, when I know how someone feels about politics, I don’t feel the need to argue w/them. It’s exhausting and unlikely they will be open to changing their mind, but rather dig in their heels more. I found it better to chip away at issues, though. More success there. I’ve been swayed on certain issues, I might add. BUT don’t talk to me about real estate going up in price. Then I’ll really fight you 😉 and thanks to you Piggs, I can counter some of the crap people sling 🙂

[jpinpb]

If someone wanted my honest opinion about something, I wouldn’t sugar-coat it. At the same time, when I know how someone feels about politics, I don’t feel the need to argue w/them. It’s exhausting and unlikely they will be open to changing their mind, but rather dig in their heels more. I found it better to chip away at issues, though. More success there. I’ve been swayed on certain issues, I might add. BUT don’t talk to me about real estate going up in price. Then I’ll really fight you 😉 and thanks to you Piggs, I can counter some of the crap people sling 🙂

[jpinpb]

If someone wanted my honest opinion about something, I wouldn’t sugar-coat it. At the same time, when I know how someone feels about politics, I don’t feel the need to argue w/them. It’s exhausting and unlikely they will be open to changing their mind, but rather dig in their heels more. I found it better to chip away at issues, though. More success there. I’ve been swayed on certain issues, I might add. BUT don’t talk to me about real estate going up in price. Then I’ll really fight you 😉 and thanks to you Piggs, I can counter some of the crap people sling 🙂

[jpinpb]

If someone wanted my honest opinion about something, I wouldn’t sugar-coat it. At the same time, when I know how someone feels about politics, I don’t feel the need to argue w/them. It’s exhausting and unlikely they will be open to changing their mind, but rather dig in their heels more. I found it better to chip away at issues, though. More success there. I’ve been swayed on certain issues, I might add. BUT don’t talk to me about real estate going up in price. Then I’ll really fight you 😉 and thanks to you Piggs, I can counter some of the crap people sling 🙂

[seattle-relo]

I agree that in many occasions it’s best to just avoid heated political debates…the dilemia was more related having a friend who brings stuff up, but yet really doesn’t have lot of information on the subject, and how to deal with that in a respectful manner. I wouldn’t say that I was a liberal elitest, that’s pretty harsh…yes I am more liberal than conservative, but I do recognize that each party and view point has a lot to offer; and sadly I don’t have much faith that any of the candidates are capable of really making the changes that our government and country need due to the deep systemic problems that have been rooted in the system.

When I was talking about “educating” my friend, I should have further clarified. I wasn’t educating her on the candidates different views, it was more basic than that…I had to explain to her what a primary was, what the GOP stands for, an no, Obama wasn’t the Mormon candidate (seriously – scary, this woman has a college degree, yikes!)

After thinking about my post, I think more my frustration wasn’t that of being offended by her bluntness and lack of being sensitive that I might have different views, but her lack of knowing anything about government, politics, economics – which is something that I don’t just see in that friend, but many people I encounter. And this kind of “head in the sand” attitude about what is going on in both our country and the world really concerns me. I think that’s more were my frustration is…

[seattle-relo]

I agree that in many occasions it’s best to just avoid heated political debates…the dilemia was more related having a friend who brings stuff up, but yet really doesn’t have lot of information on the subject, and how to deal with that in a respectful manner. I wouldn’t say that I was a liberal elitest, that’s pretty harsh…yes I am more liberal than conservative, but I do recognize that each party and view point has a lot to offer; and sadly I don’t have much faith that any of the candidates are capable of really making the changes that our government and country need due to the deep systemic problems that have been rooted in the system.

When I was talking about “educating” my friend, I should have further clarified. I wasn’t educating her on the candidates different views, it was more basic than that…I had to explain to her what a primary was, what the GOP stands for, an no, Obama wasn’t the Mormon candidate (seriously – scary, this woman has a college degree, yikes!)

After thinking about my post, I think more my frustration wasn’t that of being offended by her bluntness and lack of being sensitive that I might have different views, but her lack of knowing anything about government, politics, economics – which is something that I don’t just see in that friend, but many people I encounter. And this kind of “head in the sand” attitude about what is going on in both our country and the world really concerns me. I think that’s more were my frustration is…

[seattle-relo]

I agree that in many occasions it’s best to just avoid heated political debates…the dilemia was more related having a friend who brings stuff up, but yet really doesn’t have lot of information on the subject, and how to deal with that in a respectful manner. I wouldn’t say that I was a liberal elitest, that’s pretty harsh…yes I am more liberal than conservative, but I do recognize that each party and view point has a lot to offer; and sadly I don’t have much faith that any of the candidates are capable of really making the changes that our government and country need due to the deep systemic problems that have been rooted in the system.

When I was talking about “educating” my friend, I should have further clarified. I wasn’t educating her on the candidates different views, it was more basic than that…I had to explain to her what a primary was, what the GOP stands for, an no, Obama wasn’t the Mormon candidate (seriously – scary, this woman has a college degree, yikes!)

After thinking about my post, I think more my frustration wasn’t that of being offended by her bluntness and lack of being sensitive that I might have different views, but her lack of knowing anything about government, politics, economics – which is something that I don’t just see in that friend, but many people I encounter. And this kind of “head in the sand” attitude about what is going on in both our country and the world really concerns me. I think that’s more were my frustration is…

[seattle-relo]

I agree that in many occasions it’s best to just avoid heated political debates…the dilemia was more related having a friend who brings stuff up, but yet really doesn’t have lot of information on the subject, and how to deal with that in a respectful manner. I wouldn’t say that I was a liberal elitest, that’s pretty harsh…yes I am more liberal than conservative, but I do recognize that each party and view point has a lot to offer; and sadly I don’t have much faith that any of the candidates are capable of really making the changes that our government and country need due to the deep systemic problems that have been rooted in the system.

When I was talking about “educating” my friend, I should have further clarified. I wasn’t educating her on the candidates different views, it was more basic than that…I had to explain to her what a primary was, what the GOP stands for, an no, Obama wasn’t the Mormon candidate (seriously – scary, this woman has a college degree, yikes!)

After thinking about my post, I think more my frustration wasn’t that of being offended by her bluntness and lack of being sensitive that I might have different views, but her lack of knowing anything about government, politics, economics – which is something that I don’t just see in that friend, but many people I encounter. And this kind of “head in the sand” attitude about what is going on in both our country and the world really concerns me. I think that’s more were my frustration is…

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