How to Get This Annoying Politician to Shut up for the Holidays
In every family there is one relative who cannot stop imposing his conflicting political views on everyone. You are home on vacation and want to eat in peace, but they keep talking about what is ruining America. Here’s how to deal with them and keep the holiday safe and sound.
If you and your family enjoy talking politely about politics , go ahead. We are not here to interfere with you. What most of us don’t like is when everyone wants to have a good dinner together, and this crazy uncle rants about how socialist Muslim turkeys spoil the Thanksgiving dish. Or when someone’s niece lectures everyone on how they need to reduce their microaggression to stop global warming.
Respect for human beliefs does not mean that they can trample everyone with them, especially at a holiday that the whole family wants to share. If one person insists on wagging and causing trouble, here’s how to deal with it. This is not a guide on how to win an argument. We already have one of them . Instead, we want to keep the peace and enjoy the holiday, not indulge in conflict.
Focus on personality, not beliefs
You don’t have to respect every idea in the world. If you find someone’s beliefs bad enough, you can eliminate them from your life. For example, you probably won’t invite any of the KKK members to go to the movies with you. However, when it comes to the holidays, there is probably a good reason why the annoying person is in the house with you.
Maybe they were invited because they are important to the owner. Maybe they are here because, despite your apparently wise advice, they are being met by someone you care about. Maybe someone just didn’t want them to be alone for the holidays. There are many good reasons to be open and invite people, regardless of their political views, to the celebration. It’s kind of like a holiday , isn’t it?
Before replying to someone who starts an unwanted political discussion, remember why he is there. Despite your differences, you both agreed to split a few hours and eat together. Even if they were invited by someone else, they matter to whose company you value. You will probably have plenty of time to debate them on Facebook later, but it’s okay to prioritize your relationships with the people in the room for now. Or, more bluntly, you can handle it like an adult in one day .
Don’t take the bait
When someone states a political opinion with which you disagree, it seems like they have challenged you to a duel , putting your honor at stake if you disagree. It actually looks more like someone offering you a month old bun. You don’t have to accept it, and your life will probably be worse if you do. Likewise, just because someone makes a political statement does not mean you have to answer.
One of the worst things you can do when faced with an unwanted political argument is to have one. Not only because it encourages them to keep going, but also because now there are two people involved. One man’s convictions crying out into the void is just a rant. Two or more people, and that becomes an argument. Well done.
Lack of interaction can mean failure. Especially if you have a really grumpy person who sees your unwillingness to argue as proof that they are right . However, remember that your real goal is to prevent discussion in the first place. If they shout out their ideas to you and you don’t participate in them, you win. If you want to prevent a wildfire, don’t start by setting fire to the foliage (well, okay, sometimes you do , but not in this metaphor).
Have a variety of distractions close at hand
Thanksgiving already includes several distractions. There is a large table full of food, a soccer game (if you like that kind of thing ) and you might even get some work after a while being grateful for the things . However, if you want to keep the zone free of politics, it is helpful to have something else to distract from the political discussions before or after they start. Here are some ideas:
- Watch movie. Football is good, but not for everyone. On the other hand, anyone can enjoy a suitable film. Best of all, when you look, you shouldn’t be talking. Usually . Offer to put on a beautiful holiday movie (hint: Die Hard) for everyone to watch in the afternoon, and the nearest TV will automatically be distracted.
- Turn on the music. If you want to rip a page out of an SNL playbook that doesn’t sound as dumb as it sounds, shut up a promising political conversation with a catchy song that everyone will stop listening to. Here is a list of the ten most memorable songs according to scientific research . Because science always succeeds in stopping a reckless argument.
- Talk to someone else. Just because your unpleasant relative needs your attention doesn’t mean you should give it to him. If you don’t want to participate, stop talking and talk to someone else. They will either find someone else who is willing to listen to them, or they will give it up.
- Let ‘s talk about something else. A little bit of rudeness can go a long way. If the conversation comes at the dinner table, change the subject. Rough, if necessary. It might sound like a ridiculous move, but chances are good that most of the other people at the table won’t envy you if you choose this option on your team. They may even jump to help you.
This can be a delicate balancing act, but it can also be an excuse. Remember that one person who just has to share their political views is not the only person at the table. This is especially important if you are the host. Communicating actively with the other loved ones you are spending time with is a great way to get away from unpleasant topics without ruining your day. Plus, you’re here to play with people you care about .
Minimize your drinking
Wait, come back. Okay yes. I understand. For some of us, a strong drink may be the only way to have a snack with our family. However, alcohol also tends to relax the lips. As well as those related to the person who is currently explaining that math is something that foreigners invented to make our kids dumber. Nobody says you can’t drink to deal with this shit. Just don’t turn the holiday into a drunken political duel.
How you drink is just as important as how much you drink. Grabbing a beer and sitting on the couch to watch a game is a little softer than grabbing a bottle of whiskey and yelling, “Let’s start this party!” In the first case, you can show your unshakable courage without drawing attention to the action or reminding a particularly grumpy guest that he has a reason to get louder. If you are the host, you can also help by limiting the amount of booze in the house, or simply by quietly sharing good things with people you can trust so as not to make a fuss.
Ask them to stop immediately.
It’s good to open your home and welcome everyone to the holidays. Despite our differences, excluding other people and their excuses does not help resolve conflicts that undermine our holidays, our empathy, and our humanity. We can accept and love each other despite our typical disagreements. On the other hand, it’s okay to tell someone to shut up when you need to.
Okay, maybe you shouldn’t use that wording. But if one person becomes especially problematic, you can immediately ask him to stop. If you’re uncomfortable with being so direct, you can ask the host (or the person who brought the guest in question) to do so instead. We’ve already looked at many strategies for dealing with someone who has expired their appointment . Just be polite, but firmly insist that your family enjoy the holiday.
Escape gracefully if you accidentally get sucked
Despite your best efforts, you may still face continued accusatory criticism that vaccines are a false flag operation aimed at instilling ISIS in our dogs. For conversations that you simply cannot help, learn to dodge gracefully. Remember, again, your goal is not to win the conversation. Your goal is to end this.
We’ve already talked about how to get out of unwanted political conversation , but here are some key tips:
- Look for an escape immediately. Don’t be afraid to find your way out. The more you listen, the more the speaker will think their tirade is welcome. If you’re planning to get out, get out quickly .
- Take them away from negativity. A fair amount of political rhetoric comes from dissatisfaction. If someone is ranting at your holiday event, direct the conversation towards something positive (and preferably not political). This is a time of gratitude, good mood and all that fun. Finding a positive topic is easy.
- There are more important things to do. It is very easy to do this while on vacation. Babies cry, food burns, decorations fall from the walls. Something, somewhere needs to be fixed. Get out of the conversation by explaining that you need help washing the dishes. You not only avoid the tirade, but also help, and it’s always nice!
Of course, when all else fails, you too can take a hit. As we said at the beginning of the article, this is one day. You don’t want one person’s rant to ruin everyone’s evening, but you can also let the occasional snide remark slip away. If you’re the only one stuck in a corner for ten minutes listening to the story of the US Mint coating pennies with dihydrogen monoxide to secretly sterilize our fish, it might be a small price to pay to make this day easier for everyone. more. We can always return to being angry tomorrow.