It is increasingly more noticeable how many young people are beginning to take an interest in politics. This is extremely positive, but with more people interested in politics comes more people involved in political discussions. This is great, so long as these discussions remain discussions.
Discussions cease to be progressive when they become a battle. Too often, people are more concerned with debating the other parties involved rather than creating a beneficial conversation. It's important to remember that listening to what the other person is saying is just as important as what you are going to say next.
Listening to what the other person is saying is what is going to ensure that you get the most out of the discussion that you are having. When you are talking with another person, you should be trying to learn more about their perspective while politely explaining your own. You should not be trying to prove the other person wrong.
When we start fighting is when things go badly. The once-beneficial conversation becomes a battle to decide who is right, halting any progress that could be made. Instead of fighting to figure out who is "right," we should be creating discussions to educate others, find a middle ground, and decide how to continue progressing.
Unfortunately, political discussions turn into battlegrounds more often than not, even with politicians. If we could instead focus on creating a beneficial conversation for everyone involved, a lot more progress could be made.