How do you engage in politics, healthily?

[shemnel]

Try not to get dragged into replying to too many posts, make your point, expand if somebody replies . Know when to leave it and go off to what we are all here for, the music, sorry I mean the City threads.

do you think posting on a forum is enough? maybe it is, or maybe it's a step too far? sometimes i feel i want to educate myself about these things and be satisfied without having to bicker about it, but then the more you know.....

 

[mat]

Does smacking a Tory class as healthy debate?

 

[Saddleworth2]

do you think posting on a forum is enough? maybe it is, or maybe it's a step too far? sometimes i feel i want to educate myself about these things and be satisfied without having to bicker about it, but then the more you know.....

It’s just another lense. To be honest, you will find more truths than listening to the majority of the media. The political threads have died down a good bit since Brexit But even when it was at its most febrile it was still possible to find some descent discussion and some excellent posters amongst the dross. Similar on the Scottish and Irish politics threads. Give it a try mate. Since I retired I have time to immerse myself much more than previously and being informed is definitely better than being passive. Being passive is how you end up with Trump as president or liar Johnson as PM.

 

[BlueMoonAcrossThePond]

I have little problem engaging with others of opposite opinion so long as we're disagreeing on policy.

Whereas much of the USA Right - believes in some sort of alternate reality.

Space lasers circle our globe; COVID is a hoax; Dinosaurs lived contemporaneously with mankind some 100 years or so ago; numerous mass casualty events caused by gun violence are "false flags" - fake, staged events designed to promote anti-gun sentiment; Antifa was behind the 2020 US Capitol invasion - and on and on.

One can begin conversations with people who believe in such calmly - but I - for one - quickly lose patience.

 

[Rascal]

how do you, how does 'one', engage in politics without it effecting you/one adversely?

I never post on the politics forum as i fear it will end in rage, but i am extremely interested in politics.

2021 was a real test though, the wild politicisation of the pandemic, the conduct of MPs & the PM, Brexit stuff, inflation and on and on.......

Is it wise to just bury your head in the sand and get on with what you can control? my wife says i'm happiest when i'm in my most 'ignorant' phases, i.e. on the news websites a lot less or not at all. But at the same time, the idea of being ignorant to the issues in our country and the world is a terrible thought. Is there a way to just let it go, realise you are powerless but enjoy the debate? or is it better to take affirmative action and join campaigns etc and feel/make that difference?

thoughts from the BM hive mind would be interesting.

Certain sections of the political spectrum would prefer you to be ignorant, the less you know, the less you care, the more they can get away with.

 

[shemnel]

Certain sections of the political spectrum would prefer you to be ignorant, the less you know, the less you care, the more they can get away with.

That's the nubbin of the post though isn't it.

I'm probably at my most settled, mentally, when I'm disengaging but as you say, ignorance is perfect for a certain subset of those in power

It's about trying to get involved without thinking you can solve it all.

 

[Vic]

I was quite into politics pre-Brexit but nowadays I find it completely depressing and get less involved. Essentially you're allowed two choices, you either support the right-wing which means you're a Tory, pro-Trump, pro-Brexit etc or you're a Corbynite, anti-Tory and pretty much anti-anything.

If you don't fit into either of these camps and aren't willing to get into the trenches with them then it's not worth getting involved because these two groups will squash you. We see it on here where the political threads are heavily weighted with an anti-Tory, anti-Brexit message but they're also anti-Labour nowadays because they still support Corbyn (who was pro-Brexit, go figure?!).

I think the vast majority of the population nowadays would say that they're politically homeless and I include myself in that which says it all really. So actually there is no healthy way to engage in politics because you'll get butchered unless you fall into line...

Who's this Corbyn chappie?

 

[hilts]

Who's this Corbyn chappie?

Scruffy bloke, dodgy mates spends a lot of time in a allotment. Was relevant for a couple of years but then disappeared.

 

[The Future’s Blue!]

Being nice and understanding others point of view.

Then, smacking them in the nuts while understanding that you are open for the same. Ouch!

 

[Blue Mist]

If you want an open and healthy political debate never, ever mention you have sympathy for a Palestinian family.
If you do every post since 2006 will be removed and you will have to start supporting Leeds.