4 ms·

It is both fascinating and sad to watch. My family has split along political lines, with half despising Trump and half worshipping him. Each side hates the ot

It is both fascinating and sad to watch. My family has split along political lines, with half despising Trump and half worshipping him. Each side hates the other sufficiently that we just avoid talking anymore, so it's like having two distinct families. I don't know the solution other than everyone agreeing not to talk politics, ever. And even better, actually deciding that politics is pretty insignificant and only something to think about on election day.

Fnoord 6y ago
Politics is the opposite of insignificant, and everything is related to politics, so you're sitting on a ticking time bomb if you're as a group trying to ignore it. Ignoring the pink elephant in the room doesn't make it go away.
- natchy 6y ago
  politics is governing. most people don't govern. We have other jobs and roles. My influence on politics is insignificant vs my influence on other things that will impact my quality of life and those around me. In fact, politics and political news are a huge time suck for lots of people. Might as well be playing video games or watching sports.
  - Fnoord 6y ago
    > politics is governing. most people don't govern. We have other jobs and roles. That depends on the definition being used [1]. IMO, using this definition of governing [2], governing is taking responsibility, we do it all the time, and it is tough at times. An example of governing is deciding when to change your baby's diaper. You take responsibility to put in the time and effort (which boils down to money) to keep the baby healthy, proper, and happy. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics#Extensive_and_limited https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics#Extensive_and_limited [2] https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/govern https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/govern
    - tubularhells 6y ago
      This is really autistic. Stop arguing semantics, this is not a linguistics forum.
      - generj 6y ago
        Please don’t use autistic as an insult.
        Fnoord 6y ago
        I do have an ASD diagnosis so that part was at least factual.
        tubularhells 6y ago
        Brave of you to admit. This community needs to come clean on this, we have so many outspoken, autistic individuals here whose input morphs others' views on what is normal and socially acceptable.
        Fnoord 6y ago
        Shrug, honestly I see it as a strength and weakness. Different, not less. Therefore nothing to be ashamed of. In my work, we (employer, co-workers, myself) reap the benefits of my ASD, while we work around the weaknesses. The point that we are all governing in one way or another, like Greek Gods, still stands.
        tubularhells 6y ago
        I'm autistic, and I use the word factually. I know what I'm talking about.
lotsofpulp 6y ago
> And even better, actually deciding that politics is pretty insignificant Unless you think civil liberties are at stake. The Supreme Court will be tilted to a way I believe is harmful for my children’s future, and personal health, and so I consider politics to be very significant.
- nomdep 6y ago
  The media has make you believe things like that to make money from your fear and anger. Nothing will be so dramatic.
  - lotsofpulp 6y ago
    Have I been duped into thinking marijuana has been illegal this whole time? Assisted suicide unavailable? Parental leave / sick leave laws non existent? Access to abortion restricted in some states to sufficiently quality it as inaccessible to those who need it? Did I imagine growing up without dental care or healthcare because my immigrant small business owner parents could not access affordable healthcare? I personally know small business owners that are open about supporting politicians because they don't want the minimum salary for exempt workers to be raised, so that they can continue to exploit immigrant "managers" to run their businesses and pay them $32k per year to work 60+ hours a week. These are real matters that have affected me and many others in the country. To say politics isn’t significant is ridiculous.
godshatter 6y ago
I don't know how to get there, but we need to somehow reacquire the notion that it's okay to like and interact with someone that you disagree with, politically or otherwise.
- tubularhells 6y ago
  It's also fine to cut crap people from your life, family or otherwise.
  - rufus_foreman 6y ago
    For me, people who you can't cut from your life even if they are crap people is the definition of family.
gamechangr 6y ago
We meed to work to repair this. No matter who wins the election, we are likely to see half of the USA saying "not my president". We need the families to be stronger. We need more patience for things we disagree with. We need to love and enjoy those who we disagree with. To have deep conversations that help others better understand different points of view. That's how real change could actually happen, instead of tribalism and every four years a new political party removes all the progress from the previous four years - so that nothing truly changes
brippalcharrid 6y ago
Politics has the potential to impact every single area of your life. Your assets, your livelihood, even your life can potentially be taken away at the stroke of the legislator's pen, and this will be enforced by an apparatus that has been funded by your taxes, paid upon pain of imprisonment. We have been living through a period of relative political stability under governments that have tended to respect people's inalienable rights.

Fnoord 6y ago

Politics is the opposite of insignificant, and everything is related to politics, so you're sitting on a ticking time bomb if you're as a group trying to ignore it. Ignoring the pink elephant in the room doesn't make it go away.

natchy 6y ago
politics is governing. most people don't govern. We have other jobs and roles. My influence on politics is insignificant vs my influence on other things that will impact my quality of life and those around me. In fact, politics and political news are a huge time suck for lots of people. Might as well be playing video games or watching sports.
- Fnoord 6y ago
  > politics is governing. most people don't govern. We have other jobs and roles. That depends on the definition being used [1]. IMO, using this definition of governing [2], governing is taking responsibility, we do it all the time, and it is tough at times. An example of governing is deciding when to change your baby's diaper. You take responsibility to put in the time and effort (which boils down to money) to keep the baby healthy, proper, and happy. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics#Extensive_and_limited https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics#Extensive_and_limited [2] https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/govern https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/govern
  - tubularhells 6y ago
    This is really autistic. Stop arguing semantics, this is not a linguistics forum.
    - generj 6y ago
      Please don’t use autistic as an insult.
      - Fnoord 6y ago
        I do have an ASD diagnosis so that part was at least factual.
        tubularhells 6y ago
        Brave of you to admit. This community needs to come clean on this, we have so many outspoken, autistic individuals here whose input morphs others' views on what is normal and socially acceptable.
        Fnoord 6y ago
        Shrug, honestly I see it as a strength and weakness. Different, not less. Therefore nothing to be ashamed of. In my work, we (employer, co-workers, myself) reap the benefits of my ASD, while we work around the weaknesses. The point that we are all governing in one way or another, like Greek Gods, still stands.
      - tubularhells 6y ago
        I'm autistic, and I use the word factually. I know what I'm talking about.

lotsofpulp 6y ago

> And even better, actually deciding that politics is pretty insignificant Unless you think civil liberties are at stake. The Supreme Court will be tilted to a way I believe is harmful for my children’s future, and personal health, and so I consider politics to be very significant.

nomdep 6y ago
The media has make you believe things like that to make money from your fear and anger. Nothing will be so dramatic.
- lotsofpulp 6y ago
  Have I been duped into thinking marijuana has been illegal this whole time? Assisted suicide unavailable? Parental leave / sick leave laws non existent? Access to abortion restricted in some states to sufficiently quality it as inaccessible to those who need it? Did I imagine growing up without dental care or healthcare because my immigrant small business owner parents could not access affordable healthcare? I personally know small business owners that are open about supporting politicians because they don't want the minimum salary for exempt workers to be raised, so that they can continue to exploit immigrant "managers" to run their businesses and pay them $32k per year to work 60+ hours a week. These are real matters that have affected me and many others in the country. To say politics isn’t significant is ridiculous.

godshatter 6y ago

I don't know how to get there, but we need to somehow reacquire the notion that it's okay to like and interact with someone that you disagree with, politically or otherwise.

tubularhells 6y ago
It's also fine to cut crap people from your life, family or otherwise.
- rufus_foreman 6y ago
  For me, people who you can't cut from your life even if they are crap people is the definition of family.

gamechangr 6y ago

We meed to work to repair this. No matter who wins the election, we are likely to see half of the USA saying "not my president". We need the families to be stronger. We need more patience for things we disagree with. We need to love and enjoy those who we disagree with. To have deep conversations that help others better understand different points of view. That's how real change could actually happen, instead of tribalism and every four years a new political party removes all the progress from the previous four years - so that nothing truly changes

brippalcharrid 6y ago

Politics has the potential to impact every single area of your life. Your assets, your livelihood, even your life can potentially be taken away at the stroke of the legislator's pen, and this will be enforced by an apparatus that has been funded by your taxes, paid upon pain of imprisonment. We have been living through a period of relative political stability under governments that have tended to respect people's inalienable rights.