Next Tuesday is it. The final day. We’ve been watching this election with the horrified fascination of watching a blazing train car plummeting towards an unmoving propane truck parked on the side of a cliff with starving velociraptors prowling below to devour anyone who might inexplicably survive. Tensions are high and fear is rampant, perpetuated not just by the media but also the candidates. Every political discussion among those with any sort of opinion seems rife with fury, insults, and name-calling. The nature of politics has led people to tie their political beliefs very closely with their own personal character. If someone holds a political view that someone else deems to be incorrect or misinformed, there is a tendency to assume that they are uneducated and morally base. It can seem to many that if any discussion of political matters is going to end in blows. For this reason, most have given up talking about politics altogether. Sometimes silence and apathy is better than arguing.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. People have been having political conversations for thousands of years without ripping each others’ faces off. For the Ancient Greeks with their symposiums, the secret was a decent amount of alcohol. For us, the secret is patience. A lot of patience. You cannot control what people have been taught or how they choose to believe. The freedom to hold different beliefs is a fundamental value of our country. People have different understandings of the world, diverse backgrounds and varying levels of education. They are allowed to be unique. There is beauty in variance. It is important to approach a discussion willing to understand all points of view, because nobody has all the facts regarding any situation. Be patient, and be very willing to listen.

The world is a crazy, unpredictable, and bewildering. The issues we’re facing deal with life and death, freedom and persecution and oppression. These have a tendency to divide people, to polarize them firmly to one side or another. They can cause people to question beliefs that they hold at the core of their being, and this is an incredibly alarming experience for many. It’s terrifying to look so closely at yourself. This is why, when someone’s political views are questioned, they get so furious. Anger stems from fear. When we remember this, it is so much easier to have calm discussions. It is essential to speak softly, clearly, and explain a viewpoint thoroughly. It is also extremely important to understand the background of those in the discussion. Know where they’re coming from and consider why they may hold the opinions they do. Never expect anyone to compromise their core beliefs because of a ten-minute conversation, because odds are they have looked deeply within themselves to form these beliefs. If you desire to be listened to and understood by others, you must first show this respect to them.

When the political atmosphere is so charged with dismay, we have to remember that we are all human. We will all have to live with the consequences of this election, and although it won’t affect us all in the same way, it will involve everyone substantially. We are all kind of really really scared. But that doesn’t mean we can’t talk about it. It might even help. Whatever happens on Tuesday, we're all in this together. In the end, we have to look out for each other. The government is supposed to work for the people. We need keep it that way.