Tips On Talking Politics

Everyone has their own opinions, like their preference for vanilla ice cream over strawberry. Usually, mild statements such as these have little negative impact on the opposing party. “Don’t care for strawberry all that much? That’s fine, more for me!” Politics, however, are a whole different story. Talking to some of my family members about politics has made me feel as if I am trying to walk through a minefield with skis. But after looking closer at those conversations I will tell you this: the way to navigate this feared family dinner subject is to first understand the person (their background may affect their beliefs), keep your own facts straight and unbiased, and politely agree to disagree.

Here’s the first tip to remember. Look farther than just their political party and more into their background. Let me give you an example. Bob is firmly rooted in the opinion that Americans should be able to carry firearms as a form of self-defense at all times. From this, we may stereotype Bob as a white Republican from the south who probably owns a cabinet of weapons to exercise his Second Amendment rights. But an evolved political thinker will wonder, “Does he get this state of mind from his family? What kind of community has Bob grown up in?” Maybe some of Bob’s fondest memories growing up was hunting with his family. Naturally, his beliefs are going to reflect the environment he was surrounded with. You never know. Just give Bob a chance before making assumptions.

Next step. When in the actual conversation, make sure you’ve done your homework on the topics you want to discuss. It’s important your information is accurate as well as unbiased. This is when your lessons from Social Studies and ELA come in handy! Use various sources to come up with your facts, always making sure your sources are credible (sorry, Buzzfeed!). Keep in mind that this can also be used in reverse. If the person you are talking with cites only Democrat news stations instead of unbiased information sources or a mix of both Republican and Democrat news, chances are the information is biased. It is also always important to remember that no matter what “side” you are on, both Democratic and Republican parties are capable of manipulating information to sway their viewers.

Here is the last piece of advice I will offer to you. Remember that differing political perspectives do not make two people enemies. In fact, a bit of argument, in my opinion, keeps any relationship healthy. In fact, many people will discover they agree on some of the same issues but see them through different lenses. Still some people have access to credible sources of information and refuse to sway from unethical opinions. If talking to a well-informed person about their political views leaves you questioning their morals, then they might just be a bad person. From there, it is up to you to decide to persist and try to change their minds or leave them be. If you choose to persist, know that it may be a long process and you might not succeed. But even if it doesn’t turn out the way you want it to, you should be proud of yourself for standing up for what you truly believe to be right, with the best of your knowledge! The world needs more people who are willing to do that, especially now.

Picking apart the truth from the lies in a world of misinformation shows us the reality about our society and its broken systems. It is up to us as its citizens to look past our political parties and at the bigger picture instead. Through political discussions, we can learn to understand each other, broaden our views, and work together to improve our world.

References:

AllSides Media Bias Chart. 23 Sept. 2020, www.allsides.com/media-bias/media-bias-chart.