Gargovic Malkav
Well-Known Member
And now you're almost Jewish.
Could it be considered miraculous that the hearts of people can change so drastically?
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Do "Discuss Politics" with Your Friends, Folks — Know Who They Are!
- Thread starter Debater Slayer
- Start date
And now you're almost Jewish.
Could it be considered miraculous that the hearts of people can change so drastically?
Aštra’el
Aštara, Blade of Aštoreth
Any select “character and moral values” which might be highlighted by my friends’ political views are irrelevant. I appreciate these people for who they are, flaws and all, however serene or extreme. As beautiful as they can be, and as terrible as they can be.
Besides, I can appreciate many sides of human nature, not just the... “acceptable”.
Also, despite how long it might have taken or how unlikely it might have been to achieve... the people I consider friends found ways to earn my trust, love, and respect. And I them. I value that. Deeply. Their political views have nothing to do with why we became close in the first place, or why we continue to remain close to this day. Nothing at all.
It is about loyalty.
I am loyal to those who are loyal to me, no matter what their political affiliation or how extreme their ideology might be.
If you watch media outlets like CNN/MSNBC they are not really
Then why mention politics?
I wouldn't expect folks to normally mentioned their criminal activities they did last weeks while discussing their political views.
That what I worry about, history repeating itself. They say it does but it's always the other guy that causes it.
Here's what I believe: most people don't even know what they believe (although they'll tell you that they do), and to whatever extent they do know what they believe, they have no idea why they believe it (although they'll tell themselves that they do).
Given all that, I'm not as concerned about what people's political beliefs actually are as I am about how they express them and how open they are to letting other people express theirs.
Given all that, I'm not as concerned about what people's political beliefs actually are as I am about how they express them and how open they are to letting other people express theirs.
I have no friends where I live here.Yesterday, a friend told me that one of her college friends had been arrested by the FBI for uploading a selfie of himself near Nancy Pelosi's office. He was one of the rioters who invaded the Capitol.
She told me he had never talked about politics with her and that, as she put it, "Now [she] knows why. He always seemed super nice otherwise and would even give up his seat for [her] and such." She immediately cut him off upon learning that he's a MAGA fanatic and regretted knowing him to begin with.
This is why "we don't discuss politics" is not a mantra I buy into or will ever buy into. Your politics are a significant expression of your character and moral values. I'd rather "discuss politics" than be surprised to find out someone I considered a friend had gotten arrested for partaking in an act of terrorism and sedition.
Make sure you know who your friends are, folks. In my experience, many of those who don't wish to tell you about their beliefs either have something to hide or don't want to face difficult moral questions. Not that everyone who doesn't like talking about their beliefs is that way, of course, but there are many who are. Be careful of those.
Stay safe and aware.
Yes, they always say that.
This seems a bad consequence of the rather hyperbolic (from my view) overly dramatic US style politics.
I’ll admit to trying to avoid political discussions with certain family members. But that’s because they’re literal boomers stuck in their ways. Interestingly one of my uncles surprised me by espousing sympathy for communism, even though we both agreed it’s just a nice dream. He’s a pretty traditional sort of bloke. But he is rather open minded.
I do discuss politics with my friends but I guess because ours is rather milquetoast compared to America’s it hasn’t really caused anything worse than a friendly but spirited debate.
I’ll admit to trying to avoid political discussions with certain family members. But that’s because they’re literal boomers stuck in their ways. Interestingly one of my uncles surprised me by espousing sympathy for communism, even though we both agreed it’s just a nice dream. He’s a pretty traditional sort of bloke. But he is rather open minded.
I do discuss politics with my friends but I guess because ours is rather milquetoast compared to America’s it hasn’t really caused anything worse than a friendly but spirited debate.
Cooky
Veteran Member
No, but you said to be wary of those who don't make their political affiliation known. That's horrible advice, IMO... Probably some of the worst advice I've ever heard, because you're encouraging people to judge other's as potentially dangerous or flawed based on a lack of knowledge.
Make sure you know who your friends are, folks. In my experience, many of those who don't wish to tell you about their beliefs either have something to hide or don't want to face difficult moral questions. Not that everyone who doesn't like talking about their beliefs is that way, of course, but there are many who are. Be careful of those.
Stay safe and aware.
...
I've never grilled my friends about having unmentionedNo, but you said to be wary of those who don't make their political affiliation known. That's horrible advice, IMO... Probably some of the worst advice I've ever heard, because you're encouraging people to judge other's as potentially dangerous or flawed based on a lack of knowledge.
...
extreme views. This has always worked well for me.
Am I too trusting?
Cooky
Veteran Member
Not at all, in fact, it's typically rude in my opinion to ask people about political views. That's how I was raised anyway... My older cousin, an outstanding person, who was also my eighth grade school teacher, still to this day, has never alluded to his political affiliation. And we're family.
Not at all, in fact, it's typically rude in my opinion to ask people about political views. That's how I was raised anyway... My older cousin, an outstanding person, who was also my either grade school teacher, still to this day, has never alluded to his political affiliation. And we're family.
When did this change?? When I was growing up, my parents said it was rude to ask people who they were going to vote for. They wouldn't even tell me this information! When and why did this stop?
It's natural for me to discuss politics, & learn theirNot at all, in fact, it's typically rude in my opinion to ask people about political views. That's how I was raised anyway... My older cousin, an outstanding person, who was also my either grade school teacher, still to this day, has never alluded to his political affiliation. And we're family.
views anyway. Some are quite loopy & extreme.
Rather than shunning them, I see it as a service to
society...I provide a positive influence.
Cooky
Veteran Member
In the real world, I'm very, very vague about my own beliefs, and I don’t judge anyone on their views, unless it's all they want to talk about -- That gets pretty annoying.
...But I see your style, and I like it.
From the very portion you quoted:
I know a lot of decent people who have a strong aversion to discussing politics, hence the highlighted part.
It's better to try to understand posts carefully before responding to avoid making baseless accusations or jumping to conclusions.
I watch neither.
Sometimes extreme political beliefs can be a strong precursor to support for violence. There's a reason many of those convicted in mass shootings and hate crimes openly express support for Nazism, racial or religious supremacism, or some similar belief.
Cooky
Veteran Member
I already saw that. I stand by what I said.
As in this part?
Generalizing such advice for all people would indeed be horrible. Since that wasn't my argument (as shown in the portion I quoted and highlighted from the OP), however, you misrepresented my stance by assuming I invariably applied what I said to everyone. I would hope the misrepresentation was a product of misunderstanding rather than deliberate intent.