Often times in America there will be a political debate over which party or opinion is better than the other. What purpose does this serve? The intention of starting the conversation is often for one individual to persuade another to agree with their political opinions. These conversations often focus on the differences in their views. Other details are left out such as how those views came to be.
Most people have their political opinions because they were told to think the way they do. Rarely does the individual have any personal experience with the subject of the debate. Despite not having any experience, this person feels very strongly about their own views with no context to pull from.
Political conversations can fail for many reasons. Someone’s view of reality may be out of touch. They are no longer forming realistic scenarios to base their opinions on. The individual is not understand how someone else may be negatively affected by a law. During these conversations patience is needed, but not practiced due to anger.
People tend to associate effective conversation tactics with healthy romantic relationships and friendships. Many people do not think to apply effective communication skills to conversations with strangers. This seems to be true especially when the topic is over a difference in political opinion. Someone with an opinion different from that of the other will often get upset and become more emotional during the conversation. At this point the individual has stopped listening to hear, and is only listening to respond and be heard.
How can we avoid the political conversation from becoming an argument?
These conversations can be deeply emotional for both individuals. So how can we avoid this from happening? Both individuals need to approach the conversation with a mindset of trying understand other individuals opinions. Asking questions of why the individual thinks about the subject the way they do is often a good idea. It may be beneficial to ask about a specific situation they may be imagining. Doing this will lead to an understanding of that person and their views. From there it may be helpful to ask about specific details about the imagined situation the individual has.
Once you understand how the individual views the circumstance you can ask other questions. Try asking “What if?” questions that change the details of the specific situation.
if the individual has given the subject thought then their opinion on the situation may change once they imagine the situation with different details. If the individual has not put much thought into the subject then these questions may guide them to think more over it and help them see it from a different view.
Things to remember
Each person wants to feel heard and valued. Approaching the conversation from a place of understanding and acceptance will help the conversation go smoothly. This does not mean accepting their opinion as truth and fact! This means accepting that this person views the subject the way they do, even if they are not thinking about other details. This persons view is valid, even if it is flawed.
The goal is not to belittle the individual, this will cause them to stop thinking logically and start thinking emotionally. This is when the conversation normally turns to an argument. The goal is to allow the person to feel heard and understood. Once the individual has felt their view is seen, they will likely be more open to other ways of thinking about and viewing the subject.
How this information or view is shared with the individual can also have an effect on their willingness to accept it. Most people do not like to be talked down on or made to feel stupid. Present the information or view in a way that is informative, and not derogatory. Remember, if someone is yelling at you, how would that make you feel? That’s probably why you’re reading this post in the first place.
Why does this happen?
Individuals tend to view the world only from their perspective and can only pull from their own experiences. Asking these questions and guiding them to imagine a different situation where the same law applies may help the individual to realize how something that may be beneficial in one imagined way will be extremely harmful in another realistic way. You don’t know what you don’t know.
it can be hard to communicate with someone that does not feel like they are being heard. Many people are not comfortable in their own lives and are often overlooked in many aspects. People normally like to talk about themselves, especially if they rarely get that opportunity. Ensuring the person feels like they were given time to explain their view will make them more perceptive to seeing things from another view.
The use of these strategies may lead you to see that the difference of political opinions is not always as it seems. The difference is not always in the opinion itself, but rather the situation the political view is being applied to. It can be difficult for many people to imagine situations they have not been through or seen. Introducing the individual to a new perspective can help them understand themselves and those around them.