It's the conversation many people don't ever want to have with their friends or family members. Politics can start arguments and raise emotions across friends if you disagree, but can create stronger friendships if you agree. If you're like me, you love talking about politics and every controversial thing happening. Sometimes, people disagree that hindsight is 20/20 though, and disagree with what you may believe to be right. So, these are the do's and don'ts of talking about politics with your friends.
Do understand the facts.
When talking about politics, many facts are tossed around social media, and many of these are either myths or studies that have been debunked. Doing your research to understand which are true facts and which are myths is imperative so that you don't go into your views saying something outrageous. Also take into consideration context or your information. If you're talking about something a politician said, make sure you know the context it was said in and the facts around it.
Don't try and make your friend think like you.
Your friends are entitled to their opinions and their mindsets, and maybe like yourself, don't want to change their views to fit yours. You can tell your friend about your views without convincing them to change theirs. Take the time that you have with your friend on this conversation to better understand their views and opinions rather than merging opinions. Also a good understanding that you can also be wrong is imperative. Many people have personal views that change their political views, and their experiences can't be changed. Maybe your views are the same though, and saying you're right and they're wrong is wrong.
Do find points you agree on and go into detail.
Everything you and your friends are talking about may start to show you how different you two are after all. Don't let this separate your friendship. Find points that the other one says that you agree with and vocalize that you agree. Empathize with your friend and telling him or her that you agree is great and can make this conversation more of a bonding experience rather than an argument! If there aren't any points you agree on, try not talking about the things you like but rather the things you don't. Maybe you two will hate the same things, rather than like the same things.
Don't assume stereotypes.
You may be a Republican and your friend may be a Democrat. This does not mean that they are a vegetarian, atheist, young rebel just as much as you're not an old, white, rich male that supports Donald Trump. Maybe a few of your friends may fit certain political stereotypes, but don't assume the worst of them. If you understand that they are pro-life because of their religion and are strong to it, don't try and explain your view and why you have that view. Understanding that your friend can be a part of the opposite party with out them being the person you despise is important to your friendship.
Do avoid talking about politics.
Well this just ruined the point of the article right? Not quite, because more often than not people just don't want to talk about politics. You can talk about it respectfully without always talking about it. Even if I fully agree with the person, every time I see them I don't want to talk to them about the most recent event. I love talking about politics but not every day. If you and your friend disagreed last time that you talked about politics and it got tense, just try not talking about it again. This can be a great talk to have but not if it makes feelings rush, and makes you want to spend more time apart.
Don't get personal.
When I talk about politics, I am very consistent. I will talk about my favorite politician to my republican friend the same way I will with my liberal friends. The way my friends respond is fully up to them, but I never want them to think I'm attacking them. I have my views, and they have theirs. My views are not meant to attack yours or affect you personally, they are simply my views and nothing more. Don't make things personal past that, and don't tell people their views are wrong or they're stupid. Don't get personal. Same thing with keeping up with politics. What I mean by this is if you hear their favorite politician dropped out of the race or lost the race, don't flaunt it or intentionally upset them.
Politics can get upsetting, and talking about them can be even more upsetting. Tread carefully when talking about politics and the conversation can be very rewarding and will tell you a lot about your friends.
