Politics

[CaraAmericana]

Why do people not like discussing politics with others? Why is so taboo?

I have more thoughts on this....but I will save it to see how far this question gets me.....

 

[flowerhead]

maybe because it's depressing, or they don't know much about it...or it's just considered 'boring'. i often discuss politics with my family/friends...it's so important..i don't want to be blind!

 

[pumpkincat210]

Depends on who you ask really. It can be a very divisive subject and bring out the worst in people.. but this is depending on who you talk to. Most people just want an easy conversation and don't want to think too hard or get into a spat.

 

[Loveleighe]

i know i personally don't have any particular interest in politics. I vote and sometimes watch the news that's about it.

I think it's taboo to discuss politics because it's such a hot button. Look at how discussions go when we're talking about linday lohan. I'm sure if someone brought up the war in iraq that it would've been an all out war. In professional settings we were always told to avoid political discussion just like religion because you're entitled to your opinion but you don't want to offend a client.

 

[Paramnesia]

I have no problem talking about politics and here in AUS I find most people are open minded about the politics here and our politicians.

Though I find the talk of beliefs and religion to be more taboo. I generally don't like to go into depths about my beliefs with other, because I fear offending others and being criticized.

 

[SparklingWaves]

I remember as a kid seeing my uncle discussing it with my Grandfather. He would say my Grandfather view wasn't correct and get so angry. My Grandfather didn't take the my Uncle so seriously. He could discuss a topic without getting so angry and was very knowledgeable. He read everything he could put his hands on. He just had a different view.

So to answer your question, people will have very different views and may get in heated arguments. They may never really push the other side to believe their view. They may even cause a split in the relationship.

That's what I think, but I may be partially right.

 

[saspearia]

I work in politics...actually I'm an elected politician so I talk politics all day. It has a lot of negativity attached to it. Sometimes when I tell people what I do for a living they react in very odd ways, start blaming me for everything under the sun and ask "what are you going to do about (insert pet subject here)". Its like I've told them I eat babies for a living!
In politics you get ahead by saying nasty things about the opposition and thats what people hear day in day out.
With political issues, people like to think they are 'right' about something and generally people huddle in groups of like-minded people, who share the same values and beliefs. This reassures them that they are in the right. Politics shakes it up a little and issues like say the war in iraq - people will attach 'right' and 'wrong' to it. So rather than seeing something from other peoples points of view, they take it as a personal attack.

I sometimes do teaching to teenagers about politics but I'm not allowed to talk about political parties even in an unbias manner. This I find frustrating as I have to tell these kids that I'm not allowed to answer some of their questions. It bothers me that they are taught its taboo and that they're not allowed to enquire. We then wonder why young people don't vote!

 

[V15U4L_3RR0R]

I have no qualms about discussing politics. However I do understand that people don't want to offend others by talking about their views and I also understand that a lot of people have problems in understanding why someone else has a different opinion about something and they may get angry about it.

but I can't say this has stopped me much because I like to challenge peoples veiws. I haven't been paying as much attention as I should recently but I try and keep up to date with politics in this country. I sort of keep track of world politics as well but only an overview really.

Personally, I plan on joining the OMRLP at some point.

 

[AppleDiva]

I listen to talk radio and I watch a lot of C-SPAN, A LOT, so I enjoy talking about politics, issues, who has been indicted or needs to be indicted, but I do not like to discuss politics or religion outside of my realm.

 

[Trunkmonkey]

I tend to shy away from discussions of politics and religion more and more online these days because, as a net veteran of many years, I've figured out that no amount of logic, reason, or presentation of facts that have shaped my point of view, is likely to change someones mind. Everybody has their own perceptions and, generally, are married to their ideals whether I agree with them or not more faithfully than they are to their husbands / wives.

That said if someone is being outright rude and foolish I have no problem pointing out what a jackass they are as has been seen in the past.

The true mark of intellectual honesty is not only the acceptance of but the seeking out of opposing points of view and respecting them in my humble opinion.

Besides it's not that easy to club someone with a pipe wrench through the net

 

[CantAffordMAC]

i really don't care about discussing politics or not...it can get boring though

I feel as though who someone likes and wants to vote for and stand behind, says a lot about them. Those who voted for Bush...well I don't really know what to say about that. except that I think they believed the things he believes in and look where that got us.

I talked about the upcoming election with a coworker and what she said kind of pissed me off. whatever I try not to let it bother me

 

[Dizzy]

A lot of people shy away from it because it's one of those volatile topics- it's something everyone has an opinion on, but what those opinions are based on are personal, so debate on politics are often seen as personal attacks. It's a situation where nobody can ever be "right".

I think it's also a bit of 'ignorance is bliss'- it's much easier to blame specific administrations, candidates, or politicians for certain things instead of realizing that it's a snowball effect. But so many people can't see past the here and now, or can't look at past events pragmatically; it's always colored with opinions and nostalgia. Politics only works when you take out the personal factors and realize that every single situation has positive and negative aspects, no exceptions.

Opinion is also determined largely by the media- if a situation is in favor, you get favorable coverage, and vice versa- where most people get their information from, which is also changing all the time. Other than PoliSci majors or people who have a vested interest in legislation, who else would take the time to monitor bills going through congress, UN votes, read the original documents of the Patriot Act or the 9/11 Commission Report?

It's taboo because everyone wants to be involved and aware, but not many have the time, patience, know-how or even the desire to truly understand what's going on around them. They'd rather armchair quarterback once the effects of political decisions are felt instead of realizing that they have the benefit of hindsight. Plus to debate or 'argue' isn't something you do in "polite company", which definitely has a stifling effect on discussion.

Quote:

Those who voted for Bush...well I don't really know what to say about that. except that I think they believed the things he believes in and look where that got us.

I didn't vote in the last election, but even knowing what I know now, I would've voted for Bush. Why? Not because I particularly care for the man, but because it would've been a vote against Kerry, who wouldn't have led us down any other path.

 

[faifai]

Because it brings out the worst in some people. Some just cannot discuss politics, they argue, or they throttle the other person with their views, or abandon logic entirely and start ranting. Most political issues are such that people feel very deeply about them, and so some people act like they're personally being attacked if someone feels differently than they do regarding abortion, the death penalty, the war, etc.

 

[Shimmer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CantAffordMAC i really don't care about discussing politics or not...it can get boring though I feel as though who someone likes and wants to vote for and stand behind, says a lot about them. Those who voted for Bush...well I don't really know what to say about that. except that I think they believed the things he believes in and look where that got us. I talked about the upcoming election with a coworker and what she said kind of pissed me off. whatever I try not to let it bother me

Because of comments like that. Having one's ideals insulted and dismissed isn't going to be looked upon favorably by anyone.

Also worth noting:

One rarely agrees 100% with any politician, but it comes down to who does one agree with more, A or B? If it's A, then there's a vote for A, and if B, then for B.
One doesn't have to agree 100% to cast a vote, and one rarely does.

 

[elegant-one]

Funny, I really wanted to speak my mind on this, but realized that I come here for 'down time' & fun' and didn't want my views to create other negative responses/feelings back toward me...hence the subject of this thread.

It is difficult to discuss facts & fundamentals when most of the comments I hear are only parroted from news & comedy show sound bites. And, the comments are rooted in personal & childish verbal degradation other than the above.

Just today, i heard a woman say (really loud) in a small grocery store that 'everybody is voting for hillary, but I've been told I should vote for my own kind' (her words exactly). If you are voting for a woman because you want the first woman president, or obama because you want the first black president...you are already voting for very shallow reasons.

For me, there are 3 fundamental voting issues 1)National Defense/Security of the nation 2) Less Government involvement in our personal lives 3)Low Taxes

In fairness, none of us know what comes across any Presidents desk that he sees on a daily basis that the rest of us are not privy to so we really do not have a full picture.

I have a neighbor that I truly love, she is conservative for the most part, but she does not educate or make herself aware of basic things so she makes really ignorant statements. ie - last summer she blamed George Bush for the high gas prices....what like he has a button under his desk in the oval office that flips the price of gas at the stations like a Price-is-right sign

She did not even understand the fundamentals of Supply & Demand! If everyone drives huge suvs & dual trucks (which is your business)...then there is a high demand on the gas supply, more is used, then if there is any glitch in supply lines and lesser gas to be obtained then the price increases. It's like when MAC sells out of a lipstick it end up on Ebay for a trillion dollars because the supply is lower than the demand. This is just one tiny example of what creates a divide.

 

[Shimmer]

I will say that the laws of supply and demand seem a lot less applicable when gas prices are ridiculously high and the oil companies are posting record profits. Doesn't seem like supply is costing all that much or demand is changing dramatically, just that the oil co's see an opportunity to raise prices and keep them there. They'll fluctuate until a comfortable median is found that the economy can withstand whilst lining the pockets of the oil execs.

 

[elegant-one]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shimmer Having one's ideals insulted and dismissed isn't going to be looked upon favorably by anyone. Also worth noting: One rarely agrees 100% with any politician, but it comes down to who does one agree with more, A or B? If it's A, then there's a vote for A, and if B, then for B. One doesn't have to agree 100% to cast a vote, and one rarely does.

Pretty much it in a nutshell.

 

[Shimmer]

Another thing to remember is that we don't have a crystal ball. We have no idea whether, should Hillary win this election, she's going to have to deal with terrorist attacks, war, famine, hurricanes, civil war in other countries, chembio warfare, or whatever during her time in office. We just don't know. We can hope she doesn't, but the reality is that she may have to, and we can't know, until we're faced with the situation, how she'll respond to those challenges.
That goes for anyone elected to any political office.

And, the president isn't the be all and end all. Just because s/he wants certain things passed doesn't mean it will happen.

 

[elegant-one]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shimmer I will say that the laws of supply and demand seem a lot less applicable when gas prices are ridiculously high and the oil companies are posting record profits. Doesn't seem like supply is costing all that much or demand is changing dramatically, just that the oil co's see an opportunity to raise prices and keep them there. They'll fluctuate until a comfortable median is found that the economy can withstand whilst lining the pockets of the oil execs.

Yeah, thats true too with oil & other areas. I'm just saying that supply & demand as well as other facets like what you mentioned all have influence on prices not just one person. I'm not sure what input any of us have realistically to change it.

 

[blazeno.8]

Uh, I really enjoy politics, but I've just grown tired.
I go to a school that is liberal but I didn't realize the broad spectrum of "liberalness" until I got here. When people are getting mad at you for using the dishwasher and tell you that you're waisting energy (and in essence being western scum that hurts the earth), you just learn to detach yourself. I would like to think that I think everyone has a right to voice their opinion and every opinion is important and needs to be heard, there are just some things I can't take, so I back off.

Also, in general it's a taboo topic in other places that I've been unless people want to blame you for doing something wrong or point out your faults as though a) you weren't aware of these things before b) you have all the power in the world to change it c) the countries/states/cities/what have you where they are, are shining examples of how the world should be.

I now only get engaged in political conversations if I feel that the people who I'm talking to are responsible intellectual people who are willing to be respectful of the different perspectives that come up. Even if it respectfully agreeing to disagree.