Just like oil and water, one can easily say politics and social media don't mix all that well. Unless everybody on your Facebook feed or your Twitter timeline has the same exact brain you do, you're bound to come across controversy.

The thing about politics and the media, whether it be a news source or social entertainment, is that we see only what we want to see; therefore, we believe that what we believe is correct, and the other side must be wrong. Since, after all, you read it from a reliable source, right?

The real way to validate your views is to research and educate yourself. Educate yourself on what subjects you feel strongly over and why. Educate yourself away from the bias, away from what your friends and family say, and away from mainstream media. Seeing something that sparks your interest is a sign that it may be a good idea to take some time to read up on it. As easy as it is to go off of what everybody says is correct, the only thing that would make you more educated is to find the facts and study them.

In a tender and divided time like this, people have made their views loud and clear — some more offensive than others. The fact of the matter is, no matter how hard you may try, people are set in their views and are usually closed minded towards opposing ones. So while political conversations with them may not be in anyone's best interest, you can figure out exactly what you believe in for yourself and why you do. Become passionate about the facts and remain passionate about them. Perception is reality, after all, and if we want to be better contributing members of society, the least we can do is take a step back and look at things from a factual point of view, as well as trying to remember that every person on this planet deserves love and patience — even the ones we don't agree with.