[Politics] How do you deal with people obsessed with political views?

HalfaSeatOn · Monday at 5:19 PM

Need a bit of help here. I’ve got family members who seem to turn everything in to politics. Just general, easy going conversations within minutes turn in to a comment that supports their political view. It’s usually opinion based with no evidence. Their obsession is getting on my nerves. I really don’t look forward to visits. My wife goes along with it much easier than me. If they weren’t family i’d be tempted to put on ignore or may be they should be put on ignore for my own mental health?

Jeremiah · Monday at 5:21 PM

Can't you point them towards NSC ? Many similar people to them on here.

WATFORD zero · Monday at 5:23 PM

Personally, I avoid getting involved :wink:

Cotton Socks · Monday at 5:31 PM

HalfaSeatOn said:
Need a bit of help here. I’ve got family members who seem to turn everything in to politics. Just general, easy going conversations within minutes turn in to a comment that supports their political view. It’s usually opinion based with no evidence. Their obsession is getting on my nerves. I really don’t look forward to visits. My wife goes along with it much easier than me. If they weren’t family i’d be tempted to put on ignore or may be they should be put on ignore for my own mental health?

I was in a similar situation with someone. In the end I just had to tell them that they were doing my head in, bringing politics into everything. He came out and said the other day that IHT for farmers was going to be 50% as I was talking about food. I had to say something then & tell him he was talking s**t. I gave him the correct information & then said I'm not talking about it any further. He's slowly getting the idea!

Is it PotG? · Monday at 5:32 PM

HalfaSeatOn said:
Need a bit of help here. I’ve got family members who seem to turn everything in to politics. Just general, easy going conversations within minutes turn in to a comment that supports their political view. It’s usually opinion based with no evidence. Their obsession is getting on my nerves. I really don’t look forward to visits. My wife goes along with it much easier than me. If they weren’t family i’d be tempted to put on ignore or may be they should be put on ignore for my own mental health?

I have zero experience of such folk.

Chicken Run · Monday at 5:36 PM

HalfaSeatOn said:
Need a bit of help here. I’ve got family members who seem to turn everything in to politics. Just general, easy going conversations within minutes turn in to a comment that supports their political view. It’s usually opinion based with no evidence. Their obsession is getting on my nerves. I really don’t look forward to visits. My wife goes along with it much easier than me. If they weren’t family i’d be tempted to put on ignore or may be they should be put on ignore for my own mental health?

Tell them that they are thick (insert pointless emoji)

driddles · Monday at 5:37 PM

Ask a follow up question about policy... every time they do it... ask a follow up question about what specific policy they are talking about... every time. Or do what a lot of people in the US do, just say uh huh and talk about something else.

Professor Plum · Monday at 5:56 PM

I never respond by asking a question or putting a counter argument -- unless I'm really in the mood for it. .I prefer to just say something like "Ah well" and change the subject. People quickly pick up that I've no interest in pursuing the conversation but also, that I'm not criticising them or even disagreeing with them. If they have any sense and decency (not always a given) they tend to not bother going on about it. If this fails it's perfectly OK just to say "It's not really something I want to talk about at the moment." As long as it's said goodnaturedly, and not angrily (etc) most people will realise they're wasting their time.

One Teddy Maybank · Monday at 5:57 PM

Family members you say…..

Don’t suppose there’s an ‘ignore’ option…..

Official Old Man · Monday at 5:59 PM

Working in retail, I soon learnt to answer anything political with the line "I don't get involved in politics".

Weststander · Monday at 6:02 PM

By directing saying let’s not talk about politics.

bhafc99 · Monday at 6:12 PM

ConfusedGloryHunter · Monday at 6:16 PM

Turn it into a drinking game. Every time someone crowbars politics into the conversation they have to do a shot. They will either shut up or pass out.

Crawley Dingo · Monday at 6:30 PM

HalfaSeatOn said:
Need a bit of help here. I’ve got family members who seem to turn everything in to politics. Just general, easy going conversations within minutes turn in to a comment that supports their political view. It’s usually opinion based with no evidence. Their obsession is getting on my nerves. I really don’t look forward to visits. My wife goes along with it much easier than me. If they weren’t family i’d be tempted to put on ignore or may be they should be put on ignore for my own mental health?

Walk away, I have. Or if you want to kill the topic reply with "Well good for you" or "F off".

The problem is in good times its easy to ignore politics but in bad times people are going to get sucked in like it or not. Throw in cancel culture, hate laws etc and you have a witches brew.

Bakero · Monday at 6:34 PM

Have you tried tossing them in a bear pit?

DJ NOBO · Monday at 6:37 PM

HalfaSeatOn said:
Need a bit of help here. I’ve got family members who seem to turn everything in to politics. Just general, easy going conversations within minutes turn in to a comment that supports their political view. It’s usually opinion based with no evidence. Their obsession is getting on my nerves. I really don’t look forward to visits. My wife goes along with it much easier than me. If they weren’t family i’d be tempted to put on ignore or may be they should be put on ignore for my own mental health?

Ask “can you give me an example of that?” .
Keep asking it, talking over them if necessary, and even following them round the house.
They‘ll soon get the message.

birthofanorange · Monday at 6:44 PM

It sounds like they're suffering from 'exasperation'.
Bless.

birthofanorange · Monday at 6:45 PM

Crawley Dingo said:
Walk away, I have. Or if you want to kill the topic reply with "Well good for you" or "F off".

The problem is in good times its easy to ignore politics but in bad times people are going to get sucked in like it or not. Throw in cancel culture, hate laws etc and you have a witches brew.

Eh?

AmexRuislip · Monday at 7:16 PM

HalfaSeatOn said:
Need a bit of help here. I’ve got family members who seem to turn everything in to politics. Just general, easy going conversations within minutes turn in to a comment that supports their political view. It’s usually opinion based with no evidence. Their obsession is getting on my nerves. I really don’t look forward to visits. My wife goes along with it much easier than me. If they weren’t family i’d be tempted to put on ignore or may be they should be put on ignore for my own mental health?

I just tell them I support the monster raving looney party

Knocky's Nose · Monday at 7:19 PM

My best friend literally doubles his blood pressure when he turns to politics and he could turn a chat about Peruvian hand knitted slippers into something James O'Brien talked about this morning. His views are absolutely based on the mainstream media he hungrily consumes, and to be frank I can't be arsed correcting him any more. If you base all of your opinions on what the BBC, Sky, Daily Mail and LBC tell you then you're going to have it a bit skewed.

Whenever politics or economics comes up I change the subject. He knows nothing but talks like he knows everything. Love him to bits, so this is how I cope. :moo:

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[Politics] How do you deal with people obsessed with political views?

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