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

[BadFish]

It might be that those who didn't vote Labour in the last election have accepted their fate and that the current cabal will drive us to whatever hell in the next few years.
Bleating on about something that happened 8 years ago does indeed border on the obsessive.

Wait until you hear England fans talking about the world cup!

 

[GrizzlingGammon]

I like the taste but can’t see how it is going to clear up an infection

Rub it on your little chappy and hope for the best?

 

[Giraffe]

If they don’t agree with your politics never speak to them again. It’s effectively the same as pressing the ignore button on here.

 

[portlock seagull]

If they don’t agree with your politics never speak to them again. It’s effectively the same as pressing the ignore button on here.

Makes for a harmonious world?!!

 

[marlowe]

While they're talking to you instead of looking them in the eyes look intently at the top of their head as if something's caught your attention. I can guarantee it will make them lose their train of thought and eventually they'll ask you if there's something wrong with their hair or something.

When they do, just say "no nothing", and ask them to continue with what they were saying while you continue to stare at their head. Eventually they'll start to get paranoid and insist you tell them what's wrong with their hair.

By using this strategy it's them who have made the decision to change the subject matter rather than you having to ask them to.

You can use the staring intently at the top of the head trick for most subjects, not just politics.

 

[Bodian]

My Stepfather had the extremely irritating habit of holding court and espousing his opinions at GREAT length, usually just a cliched load of nonsense he had repeated endlessly over the years. He would have his say and when anyone then tried to counter his ramblings he’d sigh and say “oh well, that’s it and all about it” and abruptly end the “conversation”. Having had his say and letting nobody else talk. Every single time. Without fail.

It got to the point where whenever he started I’d simply get up and leave the room.

Have we met? Sounds just like my father-in-law!

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

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?

Sorry to hear that you have a selfish family member.

The only solution is to give them the big lecture about family being more important than politics and in fact any difference of opinion and if they continue to annoy you they are jeopardizing the family.

Same applies to all immutable insistencies. Insistency is not acceptable in family society.

One of our pals had to cut out a family member from the family WhatsApp when, during Covid, they became anti-Vaxy in extremis.

Put your mental health at the top of your priorities because without it you are no use to anyone.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Have we met? Sounds just like my father-in-law!

This is: old people with undiagnosed autism.

My dad was just the same.

As are my brothers.

As am I. But I have just about enough insight to not be a relentlessly boring old **** all the time. These days. Ahem.

 

[jcdenton08]

I’m a bit further right than one of my good mates, and he used to get quite het up (he was a big Corbyn fan) so we basically agreed to never discuss politics. Simple!

 

[Weststander]

I’m a bit further right than one of my good mates, and he used to get quite het up (he was a big Corbyn fan) so we basically agreed to never discuss politics. Simple!

Family and long term friends over the years often had different politics to mine at the time, perhaps some p-taking back in the day, but we never fell out over it. I did come across a couple of ultra aggressive lefties, one at uni who was a snide rather than open, another at work years later but we got on well about most other things.

The polarisation and 24-7 political obsessives has come with social media.

 

[alanfp]

I don't think anyone else has suggested this yet, but I have seen this used successfully on the odd occasion (although every situation is different).

Basically, you just say you agree with everything they say, and THEN change the subject.