It's that time of year again with the campaigns and the debates -- and you're still completely clueless. Do you hear your friends talk about this year's election and have trouble contributing? Are the only three people you know Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump? Do you use phrases like "Bush did 9/11"? Are you just waiting for this election to be over so people will stop talking about it? Let me show you my own personal way of faking political speech in conversation while still sounding fairly intelligent.
Basics:
Let's start with the candidates people discuss the most: Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, and Donald Trump. Let's picture them in a familiar family setting. Picture Bernie as your crazy uncle that is down to help you with your crazy science projects. Hillary is your aunt that lets you sip wine, but also corrects everyone's grammar during dinner. Donald is your dad's friend that lives in Florida and comes to visit every once in awhile; he's a bit racist and creepy, but he also slips you twenty bucks when you say hi to him. At least this is my format of how I assess their personalities and policies. Now you have a format of the main idea of this year's main candidates.
Knowledge:
Now this is where you review your own beliefs and compare. Yes to abortion, no to raising the minimum wage, whatever you believe. You can take this quiz to see which candidate fits best with your beliefs. It'll also give you insight on their policies. Also the chart above will tell you which candidates believe in what and you can compare and contrast. So then who you follow is up to you. Most of the election is based upon how people feel about certain issues so it's good to catch up on what's what's.
Conversation:
This is the trickiest part. Now you have all your information and you've assessed the main candidates, it's time to put that small amount of knowledge to the test. Avoid debates and pretentious wannabe politicians at all costs. Nod at their spewing secondhand information that they got from their overbearing father at breakfast this morning. Remember your place and limited knowledge. You know nothing Jon Snow and accept that. Never say anything unless you can back it up. When talking with close acquaintances, use phrases like "I agree with most of their policies" or "They make a fair point." Make your statements open, but seemingly knowledgeable. This will make people think that you're more engaged then you actually are. When in doubt make sure they do most of the talking and try not to start an argument, because that happens in most political discussions. Stay steady and don't hesitate and you'll get through it.
So that's my own personal go to on how to have a discussion with someone about politics. It may be sloppy and not work 85% of the time, but just give me some hope on that 15%. It won't get you any credit with the high school debate team, but it'll at least get you through a dinner party.There's always those people that take the election far too seriously and centered around every conversation, but remember, you're not the only one lost. And when it comes down to it, not many people take it that seriously.
