How to avoid fighting with family about news and politics
Worried about getting in a heated argument over news or politics with family or friends? Here are some tested methods on talking to those who disagree with you.
Have you ever been at a holiday gathering and someone brings up a contentious issue, you want to participate in the conversation, but you know your opinion differs. So how do you navigate this situation?
Here's some tested methods on talking to those who disagree with you.
Before you say a word …. Think first!
What’s your goal in this conversation? Are you trying to win an argument or understand a different perspective? People usually look for information that confirms how they feel and dismiss everything else, so it’s important to know your own bias on the topic before you get into it. And do conversations with this person tend to escalate quickly? If so, be extra careful.
Understand there's more than one side to every story.
Especially if you get your news or usually talk with people who agree with you. Controversial topics are complex and there are often multiple ways of looking at them. Realizing this can make you more empathetic and patient when talking with friends or family who have different perspectives
Conversations don’t always go as planned, so have an exit strategy.
Be aware of your own emotions and triggers. This is likely someone you care about - so agree beforehand to end the conversation or take a break if things get too heated. If you start to lose it, take a second to breathe or go take a walk. If you don’t think both of you can handle the discussion, maybe just tell them you’d rather just enjoy the company and talk about something else.