Most Americans Are Scared Stiff To Talk Politics. Why?

[TBoneTX 45,571]

Interesting survey and analysis.  Comments?

Quote

Most Americans Are Scared Stiff To Talk Politics.  Why?

by Emily Ekins - August 6, 2020

 

Does it feel like you're walking on eggshells lately when talking about politics?  You're not alone.  A new national survey of 2,000 Americans I conducted at the Cato Institute finds that 62 percent of Americans say the political climate these days prevents them from saying what they believe because others might find it offensive.  This share is up from 58 percent in 2017.  [...]

 

Continues here: https://thefederalist.com/2020/08/06/most-americans-are-scared-stiff-to-talk-politics-why/  

 

[Burnt Reynolds 5,058]

Don't think I've ever changed. I don't walk on eggshells in my private and public discourse, but I've always kept work and private life separate. Politics in the workplace is almost always a recipe for disaster, and it's a huge distraction from productivity.

 

Unfortunately the masses take up the message in an entirely different way. This is why PR and marketing campaigns tend to love the diffusion model, it efficiently segments the population based on the amount of effort needed to convince/push/make a person move from opposition column to ally (and an ally doesn't need to be someone that agrees with them, just someone that isn't a roadblock). The masses only need a slight nudge, as they largely have no spine, which is why even if they disagree with it, they quietly comply, and it's why you see them too scared to talk.

Edited August 6, 2020 by Burnt Reynolds

[Dashinka 24,628]

56 minutes ago, Burnt Reynolds said:

Don't think I've ever changed. I don't walk on eggshells in my private and public discourse, but I've always kept work and private life separate. Politics in the workplace is almost always a recipe for disaster, and it's a huge distraction from productivity.

 

Unfortunately the masses take up the message in an entirely different way. This is why PR and marketing campaigns tend to love the diffusion model, it efficiently segments the population based on the amount of effort needed to convince/push/make a person move from opposition column to ally (and an ally doesn't need to be someone that agrees with them, just someone that isn't a roadblock). The masses only need a slight nudge, as they largely have no spine, which is why even if they disagree with it, they quietly comply, and it's why you see them too scared to talk.

I completely agree.  I do not talk politics in the workplace with anyone even if I do have a good idea of their personal beliefs.  Even talking politics with family can be hazardous, but in a good family it should not cause any lasting impacts.  Just as I respond to polls, I do not believe others need to know what I thinking with respect to political positions.

[TBoneTX 45,571]

I suspect that the silence is purely functional:  people don't want to be fired, they don't want their houses vandalized, and they don't want their tyres* slashed.

     *should be the spelling

[pablo2752 106]

I think it depends on size of the workplace. I work with a small cohort of labmates ,and half of us are moderately conservative (despite their assertion that they are very conservative), and other half including me are leaning left. I have no qualm over talking about my political views because I know we are respectful of each other, and I understand why people have certain views because I lived in three different states with very different political environments. 

[Dashinka 24,628]

1 hour ago, TBoneTX said:

I suspect that the silence is purely functional:  people don't want to be fired, they don't want their houses vandalized, and they don't want their tyres* slashed.

     *should be the spelling

Channeling Boiler?

[TBoneTX 45,571]

5 hours ago, Dashinka said:

Channeling Boiler?

TOS my Bible, make it yours

[OrihimeandIchigo 216]

On 8/6/2020 at 6:40 PM, TBoneTX said:

Interesting survey and analysis.  Comments?

I agree because it feels like and from my personal experience. One party I won't name because of getting hate on. Can not have calm, rational, non screaming and horrible name calling political conversations. I would love to have a political discussion but I don't anymore because everyone I've had a conversation with that was opposite political of me yelled and wouldn't let me get a word in and its frustrating that the majority won't educate themselves and only repeat their "facts" from only certain "in my opinion click bait" titles and wont read multiple articles from different sources on the same subject to get a non biased opinion of that "news". I also do not understand why we can't have respect for different opinions and agree to disagree but respect thats their right to believe how they want to and what their values go with. I grew up to respect everyone no matter race, politics, religion or economic background. Its the value of your morals and character. Everyone wants to base things on surface things and divide us. Were all human beings and we're not just Republicans or Democrats were Americans. 

Edited August 7, 2020 by OrihimeandIchigo

[Neonred 3,576]

2 hours ago, OrihimeandIchigo said:

I agree because it feels like and from my personal experience. One party I won't name because of getting hate on. Can not have calm, rational, non screaming and horrible name calling political conversations. I would love to have a political discussion but I don't anymore because everyone I've had a conversation with that was opposite political of me yelled and wouldn't let me get a word in and its frustrating that the majority won't educate themselves and only repeat their "facts" from only certain "in my opinion click bait" titles and wont read multiple articles from different sources on the same subject to get a non biased opinion of that "news". I also do not understand why we can't have respect for different opinions and agree to disagree but respect thats their right to believe how they want to and what their values go with. I grew up to respect everyone no matter race, politics, religion or economic background. Its the value of your morals and character. Everyone wants to base things on surface things and divide us. Were all human beings and we're not just Republicans or Democrats were Americans. 

Agree.  And now my son understands this so well also.  He lives in Portland OR and the liberals out there are VERY aggressive and nasty.  He and his wife know if they express their opinion there will be severe consequences.  Even when they try to be non political the liberals there push back and want to know why they won't join the movement.

[Ban Hammer 13,420]