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The Psychology of Political Arguments
Why do they get so heated and how you stop it from happening
Most people have some form of political identity, and we all have thoughts on how the world should be run and have different moral standings. However, differing political views can often lead to complex and sometimes vicious arguments between friends. Politics stimulates emotions like no other subject, but why is this? What’s so pronounced about our political ideologies that lead to such divisions forming so readily?
Why Can Political Arguments Get So Emotionally Charged?
Political arguments can provoke an incredibly emotional response. Fundamentally, our political views extend our core beliefs and morals about the world. An opposing view to somebody’s political ideas can feel like a personal attack rather than a differing opinion. For this reason, politics can very quickly descend into a heated exchange.
The Role of Division
More than ever, the political landscape has created an ‘us versus them’ division among the public. The rise of social media, fake news, and conspiracy theories have all contributed to this two-way divide. People are either on one side or the other, and each side thinks that they know the absolute truth, with no room in the middle. It’s becoming harder and harder to empathize with the people on the other side as their ideologies become more and more alien.
How to Approach Political Conversations
Despite the potential problems, it’s not to say that you shouldn’t engage in political conversations. In fact, the opposite is true as there’s so much to learn from people who have opposing views to you. However, you need to tread this minefield carefully to have intellectual and stimulating conversations on the subject.
What Are Your Goals?
Most conversations have one of two goals: to learn or to teach. In the case of politics, this means that you’ll usually be trying to convince somebody of your beliefs, or you’re trying to learn why the other person thinks differently. However, with political views so often entwined to a person’s identity, persuading other…
