Bridging the Political Divide Life back home is complicated. People seem so angry and divided. So how then do you bridge the divide with family and friends who don’t see eye to eye with you? Living in Singapore writer MARC SERVOS has a few suggestions. How do you deal talk about political topics with others and keep it civil?
Our views on particular issues, solutions and challenges are not perfect. Pros and cons usually come into play when deciding what view to take on a particular issue and how to handle it, which is where the gray area comes in. Even within gray areas, most people prefer seeing things as right or wrong. We recognize the imperfections, but there are absolutes as well. Murder is wrong, as an example, but we don’t always agree on whether or not certain acts of homicide (think of self-defense) would be defined as being absolutely wrong despite the unfortunate situations of loss of life.
Interaction with those who hold other viewpoints can easily go awry, considering the way in which politics back home has been dividing the country. Here are a few tips on how to communicate with others to avoid getting into a heated discussion. Choosing the right words can change the mood of the conversation for the better. This may not work in discussions with strangers on social media, but could be practiced when talking to people you know, especially in person.
2. Don’t assume everyone you know thinks the same way you do. We all know others in our circles who have different views.
1. Different political views are part of a continuum spectrum. Remember, there are gray areas. And different views are usually not 180 degrees opposites.
Your family member, friend, colleague, or acquaintance just may have different views from what you believe, so don’t be surprised about things they say. You may see the world one way, but others see it differently. One isn’t necessarily right and the other wrong.
Political views are often placed on a left-right horizontal spectrum, but truth is, views are generally approached from different angles, rather than from polar opposites. Bear in mind that opinions are not always black or white, as many are in gray areas.
This principle may be well understood generally, but I’m sure everyone has had experiences where you were
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Similarly, there are also gray areas when it comes to political views.
surprised to learn of another’s views on a particular subject.
