I feel for you Brad... most the time they end up going in a circle and you can easily confuse them on a topic...

it makes talking to them about real issues harder later

Maybe if you went through life without thinking that your right you won't have any trouble discussing politics without offending anyone.

Ultimatley though, some people are just not capable of accepting another persons opinion if it differs to their own, and by accepting i mean allowing that person to have it, it is generally these people that have trouble discussing politics with friends and family.

 

Most of my family are liberals as well and we do get into some discussion.  Last week my mom started on me about the oil companies and their profits. I guess she doesn't believe companies should make a profit without sharing it with her.  I asked if she knew what percentage profit they made and if she compared it to the 15% the goverment was taxing us at the pump for gas. 

She changed the subject. 

One thing that surprises me tho, is the fact that my liberal family does not like Obama at all.  In that we are for the first time in agreement.  Thought that was interesting. 

 

 

 

 

No, that's not the issue. People are entitled to their own opinions. They're not entitled to their own facts.

What I regularly see are people (friends/family) who hold very strong opinions but those opinions are based on emotional need rather than facts. They are pre-disposed to believe a certain way and get angry if there is data presented that contradicts their opinion.

If someone in a discussion says that we've killed 3 million civilians in Iraq, it's not about me simply accepting their "opinion".  If someone says that the rich don't pay any taxes my disagreeing with them or saying something is not abotu me thinking I'm "right" about my opinions.  If someone tells me that it's a "fact" that we could switch over to wind and solar power in 10 years as our primary source of energy but can't because "big oil" won't let us, it's not about me being "accepting" or open minded.

I don't go looking to debate politics with people who I know aren't that up on the issues. But at the same time, if they're going to start proclaiming their opinions, loudly, in my presence, I have a hard time not gently correcting their misconceptions.

If he went through life without thinking that he is right he probably wouldn't have made as much money as he has, wouldn't employ as many people as he does, and wouldn't be able to give his family what they deserve.

 

The idea that one should reject the truth just because it upsets liberals is ridiculous.

 

And maybe if we realized that we are discussing politics maybe we could go thru life not being offended if someone has an opposing opinion to yours. When one goes around not trusting in what one believes in (or not feeling one is right) how does one make a decision if every time one discusses an issue with another person of a different view one could find oneself constantly changing ones view? There is a reason we have a Democracy and not Communism, we have different opinions in the country and Democracy (in a way) allows the majority to rule.

I'm always right. As in, conservative. Get it? Right, conservative? There's a sense of logic in the names.

There a massive difference between the truth and believing what you know to be right.

It's of course helpful to put facts together to form an opinion, but many things which are passed on as fact aren't indeed so and even if they are, they can be easily misrepersented, certainly statistical facts etc.

I think the article itself presents useful information for many political standpoints, not just for conservatives.

 

No, there isn't.

The one is a subset of the other.

And by asking someone to reject what they know to be true because it upsets liberals you are potentially asking someone to reject the truth because it upsets liberals.

And when you believe something and it turns out to work, like in Brad's case, it's very likely that the belief is closer to the truth than others. Rejecting something that works because it upsets liberals is just not a good idea.