The Only Way to Talk Politics With Anyone

We've all been there. We're engaged in a nice, everyday conversation, and then boom - someone brings up a political manner. You have three choices here, you can: (a) change the conversation to another topic, (b) bite the bait and get yourself into a no-win full fledged political debate, or (c) surprise everyone and instead of discussing the areas you disagree on, talk about what you do agree on instead.

Option A is in most situations the best choice (i.e. when you're at work, talking to someone new, or simply don't have the energy to engage). Despite this, many people will select option B, though. If you are anything like me, option B almost always ends up being a waste of my time, energy, and peace of mind. There are those rare instances where a glimmer of light will appear in someone's eye, where they are taken aback, and actually say "oh, you have a good point there" in response to what I've just said. Those moments, though, are rare. In all honesty, we should all be having those moments, but people are so plagued by the division our media has created that they are unwilling to hear anything the other side has to say. Most of us are forward-thinking, smart, middle of the road kind of people, but our media has done such a good job of dividing us as a nation that despite knowing this, we still fight tooth and nail to defend our far-right or far-left constituents even though both sides are enacting downright morally wrong, fiscally irresponsible policies. It's time Americans take their country back. Stop letting the media dictate what you think, stop settling for "it could be worse", and start creating a vision of what this country should look like to you.

You may find my strategy to be naïve, utopian thinking even. But let me ask you a question...how are things working out for you now? Better yet, do you like the direction our country is headed in? Are you ok with the lack of camaraderie amongst our citizens? Do you feel like our priorities as a nation are in alignment with what's important to you? If the answer to any of these questions is "yes", then I've already lost you. If you are like *76% of Americans, however, I'm guessing your answer to all of the above is "no". Now, here's the good news...we have the power to make change happen if we demand it.

So, how do we as Americans even get on the same page? We do what times of conflict call for. We take a huge step back to take a look at the bigger picture. You start with the most basic of questions in order to determine where the majority of our core values, morals, and priorities lie. One fundamental question that must be answered is, if someone is starving in this country or unable to care for themselves, is there a moral duty on the part of a country's citizens to intervene? Never mind how we go about doing it, but get someone to answer this question at face value honestly. It will tell you a lot about a person and whether you want to even continue interacting with them.

If you can both agree on a fundamental understanding that no American should starve or be left in the cold to die alone, then you have some ground to build upon. You can start thinking about how we can make that happen. For example, my husband (who is right-leaning) and I (who am left-leaning) had this conversation and ultimately determined that neither of us are content with people dying on the streets because they can't afford basic medical care, or having to steal food because they can't afford to eat. Once we gained this crucial ground, we were able to go into more specifics. We had a long, well-thought out conversation about overhauling our school systems, creating accountability by requiring those who receive government funding to meet pre-determined criteria to receive it, and taking the money out of politics. I could go on an on about our discussion, but that would be another article in and of itself. The important thing to remember is that we were talking about solutions instead of arguing about our differences.

When you are conversing with someone on political manners, don't fall victim to the trap of getting caught up in whether the right or left is more right. I have news for you...they are both doing it wrong! And atrociously at that! Gain a foundational understanding on where both of you stand on core issues and build on that. If you can't find anything you can agree on then maybe it's time you evaluate whether this is a person who is worth your time and energy. We must start thinking about what is acceptable to us because our government is currently on a non-sustainable path. Be the person in the room with solutions, not just complaints. We must be the ones to not only advocate for change, but to demand it. Stop letting the media and our politicians control the narrative, stand up for what you believe in, inspire others, and enact real change. That is how things get done.

The * above is in reference to a 2023 ABC news poll, where 76% of those surveyed believe the country is heading in the wrong direction.