Are you good friends with others of different political views?

[brainhulk]

Do you guys not discuss politics or do you have friendly conversations about it?

 

[JulesMaximus]

Most of my friends are pretty moderate. We have one friend who is pretty conservative but even he wasn't stupid enough to vote for Trump. I like that he's very vocal about his disdain for this president, it gives me hope for the future... or at least reassures me that I have excellent taste in friends.

 

[BoomerD]

We used to have some good friends who were staunch Republicans...until one night, right after GWB beat Gore by stealing the election through shennagians...

We were at dinner...and drinking when the husband (retired USCG) started talking about what a wonderful president Ronnie Rayguns had been...a true savior for the USA.
My wive gave me the evil eye...knowing what was about to happen...
I merely stated that I always thought it was a shame that Hinckley missed...because if there had ever been a US president who should have been shot and killed...it was Reagan.
For some silly reason, we never managed to find time to see each other after that.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

I'm slightly to the right
Wife is slightly to the left

But coincidentally, I'm never right

 

[Geekbabe]

I have friends on both sides of the aisle, thankfully they aren't of the name calling variety I tell you being addressed as "libtard" & "snowflake" is beginning to piss me off

The point that should unite us all is healthcare. I firmly believe that everyone in this country should have insurance they can afford. I don't care what party you are affiliated with!

 

[CountZero]

Of my friends one is a libertarian leaning, tax is theft kind of guy. Another of my friends is a brow beater lefty (I'm pretty far left but I'm less militant about it). So the right leaning guy has kind of clammed up about his support or lack thereof of Trump or Republicans. We've had some light discussions on things but it doesn't take long for the two friends to spiral out of control so mostly we don't talk about it.

I've had numerous acquaintances (largely at work) that are of a very different perspective than me. We've had a lot of conversations about politics. Maybe by virtue of everyone being highly educated and working in an area that values logical reasoning they've been fairly fruitful, though no one is changing their mind. Also the conversations have never gone down the social conservative side of things which is touchy and in this country so largely driven by religion that talking about it isn't far off from claiming your religious views are wrong.

Generally speaking both sides want what is best for the country. Mainly we just disagree with what that looks like and at the core we disagree with what role the federal, state and local governments should play. It is also interesting how by and large we accept "dirty politics" that get our agendas in but recoil in horror when it is flipped. I don't mean dirty as in illegal but things like McConnell refusing to hold a hearing for Obama's SC nomination.

 

[Bubbleawsome]

I've got quite a few friends who lean more right (duh, I live in Alabama) and we get along fine. We just don't talk politics, and if an argument starts we can keep being friends. I've also got a few friends who I don't see quite eye-to-eye with on certain social justice issues (They're kinda SJWs) We just avoid those topics.

There is one guy though who is incredibly outspoken about his trump support, liberal hate, "the whole climate change thing is a lie", "Muslims need to get out of America", "Women just cry about injustice in America", "Racism isn't a problem anymore" thing. He isn't a conservative or anything, he's just a kid who loves the counterculture. We're not friends anymore, but I screenshot the dumb stuff he posts and share with my more left leaning friends.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I tend to avoid politics with friends/family. I have one uncle always posting stuff on FB in support of Trump, and against Trudeau. While some of the posts may be right, some are extreme, or just trying too hard. The problem I see with lot of people and politics is that rather than having an opinion on a per issue situation they are either super left, or super right and it does not matter the topic. Both of those types are just as bad as each other. The super liberal people are ridiculous, but so are the super conservative ones.

I can't stand the SJW movement, but at same time, I don't agree with the conservatives on how everything should be "survival of the fittest" even healthcare, that's just ridiculous.

 

[elitejp]

Most of my friends i dont even know what aisle they stand but if there are topics that we disagree with both sides are pretty civil. Nothing like what you see on the internet or in anandtechs political forum where people are constantly making fun of each other. You cant have any discussion there.

My brother and i have completely polar views and even we can see the merits in each others opinion. I think its because we both understand that general policies wont work for everyone but at the same time you hope it will work for most everyone.

 

[Kaido]

My brother and i have completely polar views and even we can see the merits in each others opinion. I think its because we both understand that general policies wont work for everyone but at the same time you hope it will work for most everyone.

That's one of the things that really bothers me about politics - defending party lines just because they're party lines. I'm not a fan of blind obedience. There are merits on both sides; I won't say something I don't agree with just because it's a party line. People get so hung up on defending their team that they don't always take time to think for themselves. That's awesome that you can have a rational discussion with your brother!

 

[Sonikku]

I'm friends with a number of conservatives. They're actually very nice and kind people, just horribly misguided and out of touch with reality.

 

[IEC]

I'm friends with a number of conservatives. They're actually very nice and kind people, just horribly misguided and out of touch with reality.

That just means you have different worldviews. From their worldview, their political preferences are correctly guided and realistic. The fact that you all can still be civil to each other means you are sane and rational people, however. People who destroy relationships over political preferences are generally nasty people who view the "other" as evil rather than misguided, or simply having different preferences.

 

[Sonikku]

That just means you have different worldviews. From their worldview, their political preferences are correctly guided and realistic. The fact that you all can still be civil to each other means you are sane and rational people, however. People who destroy relationships over political preferences are generally nasty people who view the "other" as evil rather than misguided, or simply having different preferences.

Well, no. They really are just supremely out of touch. I see conservatives on this board like Doc Savage that I frequently disagree with, but would hardly say is out of touch. The people I'm talking about are the people that live with me in a HUD apartment building high rise. Basically nothing but seniors living on social security, younger people on disability and poor people on food stamps.

As one of the few residents in the building that does not have a hard on for Trump and the GoP, it is very difficult for me to explain to them that the politicians they voted for want to cut their social security/Medicare/Medicaid/food stamps etc if given the chance. Most are in disbelief, with some going so far as to hold true to the notion that if they hadn't voted for Trump, Hillary would have declared mass socialism, confiscated their property and had the police going door to door to confiscate their guns. The detachment from reality is very real, at least locally.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I have a number of friends with diverse political views. If anyone starts to get too angsty, we shove a beer in their face.

 

[highland145]

I have a number of friends with diverse political views. If anyone starts to get too angsty, we shove a beer in their face.

Friend request sent.

 

[highland145]

Food for thought if you take 5 min....or don't bother.



https://imprimis.hillsdale.edu/who-we-are-as-a-people-the-syrian-refugee-question/