How do you feel about making friends with people with different political opinions?

[Dwayne Johnson]

it really shouldnt matter lol, i dont care what someones opinions are or whether they are the same or different than mine. people get way too bent out of shape over politics nowadays anyways so it never comes up in my friend groups at all. friendly debate is fine, but when it turns into screaming about different philosophies thats where i head out

 

[Imbri]

I have several friends who have different political views than I do. Some things we have talked about, but most of the time, we've agreed to not discuss politics.

Where I might have trouble is with someone who has defined themselves by their politics, so that is all they talk about/project. I actually have dislike that on either side. There's a difference between being passionate about something and constantly trying to convert people to your views (either because you think they are "wrong" or not extreme enough). I've had to cut ties with a few people, just to maintain my own mental health.

 

[JemAC]

It doesn't bother me if my friends have different political opinions, we all have our own views and I'm sure we all have our own reasons for them and while most of us probably follow politics to an extent it never dominates our conversations. In fact other then close friends I don't actually know the political views off most of my friends as there's never been a need to know, some of us discuss it more at election time but I wouldn't fall out with any of them, unless they had really awful extreme views.

 

[Lullabynny]

Honestly, I try my best. Most of the time politics don't come and I prefer to keep it that way, because the absolute polarization is scary. I'd hate to lose friends I've had for years just cause my political opinions. But that fear has turned me generally paranoid to the point I don't wanna makes friends or even share my art with the world AT ALL. I think I only couldn't tolerate far-leftist or righty and the like. But when it comes to marrying someone yeah views need to be aligned with mine. Not 100% but enough we aren't bickering 24/7.

Also slight annoyed tangent. Ignore if you want .

Spoiler

It's especially difficult when politics do come up when I mention I'm center-conservative and I supported Trump over Biden, I'm pro-life, I'm anit-BLM/Antifa, I'm not particularly fond of how the lockdowns have been handled, people go straight for the racist/sexist/homophobe/bigot/priveleged etc. Like I'm generalized and I don't think that's fair. I've seen it a lot in this thread and while not out outright said conservatives to my knowledge it's still easy to see. I've grown up in a leftist family, I saw what the other side was like, and it was until I decided to see the other sides point of views that I decided their values are what I'm more align with. No person in their right mind would be against human rights. But I really don't like the bias and censorship in our media that prevents topics about some of these things being discussed without being canceled ten seconds flat. And while I feel like this doesn't/shouldn't matter, I am black. I am a woman.

 

[Croconaw]

From my perspective, I don’t mind being friends with someone with opposing political views. However, I’ve had a few people cut me off or ghost me due to my own political views. One of them was actually my best friend, but we haven’t spoken in ages.

I try not to bring up my political views unless asked specifically, and even then, I’d prefer not to go into detail.

 

[tessa grace]

My closest friends mostly agree with my political opinions, but I also live in Utah where everyone is a little... well extreme with their opinions. I disagree with a lot of the people in Utah but they all kind of just listen to what their parents say. So yeah, I do become friends with people with different political opinions, but if they have extreme views then I probably won't be as close with them.

 

[TemalRustic]

Do you like to be friends with anyone regardless of their political opinions? Or do you prefer to surround yourself with people who think very similarly to you?

For me, I don't need to have friends with the exact same opinions on things as me, but I don't think I could be friends with anyone whose opinions come from a place of hatred of innocent people, like people whose opinions come from hating LGBT people, people of colour, disabled people, or poor people, for example.

My rights are not a political opinion.