headoverheels 333 #1 November 4, 2012 An interesting show this week on This American Life, about ill will between friends over politics. I'm listening to it while at work running some simulations (electronics). http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/478/red-state-blue-state Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,445 #2 November 4, 2012 I heard it, too. Thought it was kind of sad, and was really appalled at the NH story (of course, one of my cousins used to be the editor of the Concord Monitor, mentioned in that story). But -- I'm hoping that these people who are willing to sacrifice friendships are the NPR equivalent of the ones who show up on Jerry Springer -- i.e. outliers. I am perfectly friendly with any number of die-hard conservatives here in Houston, some of whom are (or have been) fairly active posters on dz.com as well. It's a mighty poor person who only has eyes for one facet of people. Wendy P.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
livendive 8 #3 November 5, 2012 I've had one guy who acted like a friend recently call me a jackass and defriend/block me on Facebook, but I don't think this actually cost me a friendship, it just exposed a false one. I've had some lively discussions with some folks, and I'll admit that I treat some like friends who I no longer respect because of their political positions, but such is life. I like the time I spend surrounded by friends who value diversity, equal rights, and liberty; who believe that killing is an unattractive option that should only be exercised with extreme caution; and who can engage in reasonable disagreement with more curiosity than name-calling. I tolerate but rarely enjoy my time around those incapable of such very basic human perspectives. Blues, Dave"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shotgun 1 #4 November 5, 2012 Quotewho believe that killing is an unattractive option that should only be exercised with extreme caution Assisted suicide, capital punishment, abortion? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
livendive 8 #5 November 5, 2012 QuoteQuotewho believe that killing is an unattractive option that should only be exercised with extreme caution Assisted suicide, capital punishment, abortion? Yep. (I think the question of whether abortion counts as killing is debatable, but all should be approached with caution regardless) Blues, Dave"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shotgun 1 #6 November 5, 2012 QuoteQuoteQuotewho believe that killing is an unattractive option that should only be exercised with extreme caution Assisted suicide, capital punishment, abortion? Yep. (I think the question of whether abortion counts as killing is debatable, but all should be approached with caution regardless) Yeah, I agree. When I read your post, I was just thinking that "killing" would probably mean different things to different people, especially for someone who is far left or far right. I don't think I would likely stop being friends with someone over politics, unless that someone can't talk about politics without being a complete asshole. But then it's more about not wanting to be friends with an asshole. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lawrocket 3 #7 November 5, 2012 My best friends are pinkos. I like them because they have different perspectives on things. Hanging around with people I agree with would be irritating. I think I'm an asshole and I wouldn't like me much. Takes a good-hearted type to hang with me. A pinko... My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shotgun 1 #8 November 5, 2012 Quote I think I'm an asshole and I wouldn't like me much. Takes a good-hearted type to hang with me. A pinko... It takes a pinko to hang with you? I never pegged you as a communist?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billeisele 130 #9 November 5, 2012 it seems that this election has been especially divisive will be glad when it it is overGive one city to the thugs so they can all live together. I vote for Chicago where they have strict gun laws. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RonD1120 62 #10 November 5, 2012 QuoteI've had one guy who acted like a friend recently call me a jackass and defriend/block me on Facebook, but I don't think this actually cost me a friendship, it just exposed a false one. I've had some lively discussions with some folks, and I'll admit that I treat some like friends who I no longer respect because of their political positions, but such is life. I like the time I spend surrounded by friends who value diversity, equal rights, and liberty; who believe that killing is an unattractive option that should only be exercised with extreme caution; and who can engage in reasonable disagreement with more curiosity than name-calling. I tolerate but rarely enjoy my time around those incapable of such very basic human perspectives. Blues, Dave Your description fits me with a fair degree of accuracy. Hmmm!Look for the shiny things of God revealed by the Holy Spirit. They only last for an instant but it is a Holy Instant. Let your soul absorb them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GeorgiaDon 362 #11 November 5, 2012 QuoteIt's a mighty poor person who only has eyes for one facet of people. Agreed. There is this one guy I have to work with who is really really conservative: Rush Limbaugh playing in the lab, totally against gay marriage, Obama is the antichrist, etc. One time the conversation turned to Brian Nichols, the guy who killed a judge and two others in an Atlanta courtroom (plus one more person later), and this coworker started going on about what a waste of money it was to even have a trial for the guy, and how all these "rights" were just a liberal love-fest for criminals. Needless to say some of these discussions got heated. To me, these discussions are just a way of airing out different ideas, but it turned out this guy took things very personally; for example, he took my support for gay marriage as a personal attack on his religious beliefs. However, as I said this guy is a coworker and I have to interact with him. So we agreed to not talk politics, ever. When we started talking about other things we found we have a lot in common; he's even brought his kids over to my place when we had baby goats they could bottle feed. We could have let politics lead to a hostile relationship, but by putting politics aside we have a good working and sort-of-friendly relationship. Don_____________________________________ Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996) “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GeorgiaDon 362 #12 November 5, 2012 QuoteYour description fits me with a fair degree of accuracy. Hmmm! I think ultimately we all want pretty much the same things, we just differ in how to get there. It would be a good idea to keep that in mind rather than automatically writing off those with differing politics as being "not real Americans", or worse. Don_____________________________________ Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996) “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marks2065 0 #13 November 5, 2012 QuoteI heard it, too. Thought it was kind of sad, and was really appalled at the NH story (of course, one of my cousins used to be the editor of the Concord Monitor, mentioned in that story). But -- I'm hoping that these people who are willing to sacrifice friendships are the NPR equivalent of the ones who show up on Jerry Springer -- i.e. outliers. I am perfectly friendly with any number of die-hard conservatives here in Houston, some of whom are (or have been) fairly active posters on dz.com as well. It's a mighty poor person who only has eyes for one facet of people. Wendy P. All are welcome to come sit buy our fire pit and drink the beer in my fridge reguardless of political affiliation. All that is required is a smile and a laugh. Mark & Holly Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,026 #14 November 5, 2012 QuoteQuoteI heard it, too. Thought it was kind of sad, and was really appalled at the NH story (of course, one of my cousins used to be the editor of the Concord Monitor, mentioned in that story). But -- I'm hoping that these people who are willing to sacrifice friendships are the NPR equivalent of the ones who show up on Jerry Springer -- i.e. outliers. I am perfectly friendly with any number of die-hard conservatives here in Houston, some of whom are (or have been) fairly active posters on dz.com as well. It's a mighty poor person who only has eyes for one facet of people. Wendy P. All are welcome to come sit buy our fire pit and drink the beer in my fridge reguardless of political affiliation. All that is required is a smile and a laugh. Mark & Holly When are you next at SDC, Mark?... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marks2065 0 #15 November 6, 2012 QuoteQuoteQuoteI heard it, too. Thought it was kind of sad, and was really appalled at the NH story (of course, one of my cousins used to be the editor of the Concord Monitor, mentioned in that story). But -- I'm hoping that these people who are willing to sacrifice friendships are the NPR equivalent of the ones who show up on Jerry Springer -- i.e. outliers. I am perfectly friendly with any number of die-hard conservatives here in Houston, some of whom are (or have been) fairly active posters on dz.com as well. It's a mighty poor person who only has eyes for one facet of people. Wendy P. All are welcome to come sit buy our fire pit and drink the beer in my fridge reguardless of political affiliation. All that is required is a smile and a laugh. Mark & Holly When are you next at SDC, Mark? We might get there this weekend to close things up for the winter. unfortunately we haven't been there much the last 2 months because of finances. We are hoping for a better year next year. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Channman 2 #16 November 6, 2012 Quote I heard it, too. Thought it was kind of sad, and was really appalled at the NH story (of course, one of my cousins used to be the editor of the Concord Monitor, mentioned in that story). But -- I'm hoping that these people who are willing to sacrifice friendships are the NPR equivalent of the ones who show up on Jerry Springer -- i.e. outliers. I am perfectly friendly with any number of die-hard conservatives here in Houston, some of whom are (or have been) fairly active posters on dz.com as well. It's a mighty poor person who only has eyes for one facet of people. Wendy P. It's always easy to hang around a sweet heart. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,445 #17 November 6, 2012 Thanks -- and hope to see you out there again soon sometime Wendy P.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
regulator 0 #18 November 6, 2012 Here's an idea...DONT TALK ABOUT POLITICS if the topics rub your and your friends the wrong way. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
headoverheels 333 #19 November 6, 2012 Quote Here's an idea...DONT TALK ABOUT POLITICS if the topics rub your and your friends the wrong way. I went skiing with one of my best friends a couple of years ago, one of many trips to his house on the slopes in CO. Every evening he would be watching Hannity and Beck, and spewing rw vitriol. He was quite rabidly obsessed. The following year, we had him out to ski at my wife's place in Tahoe. Before he came, I had the cable company change us to basic only to eliminate those guys. Much more peaceful. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jclalor 12 #20 November 7, 2012 One of my best friends at work is a far right nut job , farther right than anyone here. He is however one of the most generous and caring people I have ever worked with, and we just don't ever talk politics, water fluoridation, Presidential birth places, FEMA camps and so on and so forth. I think not personally knowing a large number of people here, gives us a little bit more of an excuse to be a bit more obnoxious that we would be in person. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kd5xb 1 #21 November 7, 2012 I only lost one Facebook friend this election, and to be honest, I really don't know her at all. Every time one of our tight little group would post something negative about Democrats, she would answer with "lies", "more lies", etc. After twenty or thirty repetitions, I unfriended her, blocked her, and went on with life. Oh well.I'm a jumper. Even though I don't always have money for jumps, and may not ever own a rig again, I'll always be a jumper. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jclalor 12 #22 November 7, 2012 QuoteQuoteI only lost one Facebook friend this election, and to be honest, I really don't know her at all. Every time one of our tight little group would post something negative about Democrats, she would answer with "lies", "more lies", etc. After twenty or thirty repetitions, I unfriended her, blocked her, and went on with life. Oh well. I would much rather have friends than political enemies. In defense of your x-friend, she was probably right, the Romney campaign will not enter the history books as the most honest campaign ever run. Although Romney did give a very gracious concession speech tonight, and the crowd showed a lot more class than I would have expected during the speech. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kd5xb 1 #23 November 7, 2012 But the problem was that she would simply butt in to a conversation/thread where she hadn't been involved, post her little "lies" comment, and start a big argument. Doesn't matter if she was right or wrong, she was simply too rude to deal with.I'm a jumper. Even though I don't always have money for jumps, and may not ever own a rig again, I'll always be a jumper. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,026 #24 November 7, 2012 QuoteBut the problem was that she would simply butt in to a conversation/thread where she hadn't been involved, post her little "lies" comment, and start a big argument. Doesn't matter if she was right or wrong, she was simply too rude to deal with. Lying is rude too, and the Romney/Ryan campaign excelled at lying. Fortunately enough voters saw through the lies, dissembling and cynicism to cause Romney to lose.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kd5xb 1 #25 November 7, 2012 QuoteQuoteBut the problem was that she would simply butt in to a conversation/thread where she hadn't been involved, post her little "lies" comment, and start a big argument. Doesn't matter if she was right or wrong, she was simply too rude to deal with. Lying is rude too, and the Romney/Ryan campaign excelled at lying. Fortunately enough voters saw through the lies, dissembling and cynicism to cause Romney to lose. You mean like: “The sequester is not something that I’ve proposed. It is something that Congress has proposed.” “Mitt Romney raised nursing home fees eight times.” “Mitt Romney called the Arizona law a model for the nation.” “Planned Parenthood provides mammograms” “We got back every dime we used to rescue the financial system” Benghazi violence was caused by an internet video & demonstrations “Mitt Romney Plans to fire Big Bird” “Under Gov. Romney’s definition … Donald Trump is a small business.”I'm a jumper. Even though I don't always have money for jumps, and may not ever own a rig again, I'll always be a jumper. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
