The no arguing thing is key. Everyone eventually finds a topic that they don’t agree on, because politics, in the greek philosophy (aristotle based) sense of the word (I actually loved nicomachean ethics), is about the pursuit of the good life writ large. The chances of two people believing in the exact same life goals is almost zero, so there will be a fundamental disagreement at some point that, because we are talking about using governmental authority as a cudgel (in the modern sense of the word politics) to bring about a ‘good life’ for society, will cause a lot of friction.
In environments where we can’t control who we interact with, and that are semi-public with an ‘audience,’ such as work and family dinners, it’s just easier to say no politics and focus on the agreed areas of shared interests. Otherwise those little frictions can build into socially driven, highly charged arguments.
Keep political discussions to where everyone can easily walk away, where it’s one-on-one, or where everybody comes wanting to talk politics, and things are fine.
part of the problem is because talking solution politics = annoying please stop, but racist/fascist rant = hes like this just let him be. i can trace some parallels with our current conundrum.
When people say no politics, that means no arguing. This applies to office politics, family politics, and of course government politics.
The no arguing thing is key. Everyone eventually finds a topic that they don’t agree on, because politics, in the greek philosophy (aristotle based) sense of the word (I actually loved nicomachean ethics), is about the pursuit of the good life writ large. The chances of two people believing in the exact same life goals is almost zero, so there will be a fundamental disagreement at some point that, because we are talking about using governmental authority as a cudgel (in the modern sense of the word politics) to bring about a ‘good life’ for society, will cause a lot of friction.
In environments where we can’t control who we interact with, and that are semi-public with an ‘audience,’ such as work and family dinners, it’s just easier to say no politics and focus on the agreed areas of shared interests. Otherwise those little frictions can build into socially driven, highly charged arguments.
Keep political discussions to where everyone can easily walk away, where it’s one-on-one, or where everybody comes wanting to talk politics, and things are fine.
which ends up just meaning the racist uncle gets to shout his opinion and don’t you dare tell him he is wrong.
Fuck him, let him be wrong. In the Midwest we just ignore that person and they end up passed out on the couch by 5pm.
let us be right instead, then.
part of the problem is because talking solution politics = annoying please stop, but racist/fascist rant = hes like this just let him be. i can trace some parallels with our current conundrum.