I get not advertising your politics in public or discussing with coworker and acquaintances. Sometimes it’s prudent to not discuss just to smooth out social interaction.
What I don’t understand is people not discussing politics amongst close friends.
I view discussions of current events/politics and related topics as an important aspect of a friendship. If someone’s views on those issues are such that we can’t have a good discussion, I wouldn’t terminate the friendship. But, it would mean the friendship isn’t as deep as I’d otherwise like.
Wouldn’t it depend on why you became friends in the first place? I’ve got a friend I met through cycling, and our affinity for good beer, and I know we’re opposite ends politically. I have another friend because we bonded over guns and a distaste for, let’s say, progressive academia. I don’t talk politics with one, and I don’t talk cycling with the other.
Is it the views, or how they are expressed?
I can be friends with any end of the political spectrum, so long as discussion doesn’t devolve into LR style derogatory hysterics.
MAGA, fine. Communist, fine. I can agree with components of each. We don’t have to agree and diversity of discussion is interesting so long as it remains respectful.
The way people cling to their tribal affiliations is pathetic.
In theory, it’s about how they are expressed. In practice, they are interrelated. I have yet to meet a MAGA person who can have a worthwhile, respectful discussion of politics. Perhaps such people exist.
I’m still waiting to meet a communist.
“Cry Harder”, “We won, you lost. Get over it. MAGA forever”
I sleep with one.
Rather, she was raised in communist China. She can still sing all of the childhood songs about Chairman Mao…
She’s not a terribly political person now. Having lived under both systems (moved to USA at 30), I don’t think she’s of the opinion that it matters all that much.
I’ll bet you have, but aligning with MAGA principles has been likened to being aligned with all sorts of terrible things so most reasonable people just keep their beliefs to themselves.
I have friends who are devoted liberal environmentalists, but they don’t try to push it on others. Also have MAGA friends that are similar.
But this is my problem. I live near, work in and serve a rural population. I understand how the realities of their day-to-day life shape their political views. I really enjoy many of them who I know are good decent humans, And I have a few over the last number of years who are Trump fans, they know who I am, and we have always been able to joke and tease each other.
I suffered my community’s anger and ire during the worst of Covid. And I did fine, because I have always held the most important aspect of how I do my job, above all else, is to not pass judgment. That is what allows me to be objective treat everyone the same.
The problem is, what he is doing now is so so far out of bounds, that if you are now OK with it, I cannot muster the respect needed to have a genuine relationship. Sorry. And in fairness, I will respect that you should feel the same about me.
OK, fine. I don’t care. Judge away!
You’re free to associate or not, with whomever you wish, for whatever reason you wish. Nobody probably cares except you. If it’s that important to you to jettison people completely from your life, go for it.
I’ve blocked a number of people who communicate in an intolerable way in the LR. Others with similar views to those blocked, are some of my favorite posters…
I don’t get too attached to it. Or at least I try not to.
It’s hard to have a good political discussion with someone who keeps their beliefs to themself.
I have various Chinese acquaintances and friends. But I would argue that many are not really devoted communists. They simply grew up in a communist country, however, many enjoy and value the freedoms they have here in Canada and don’t want to go back and live in the regime. Some have parents that were in the government and grew up with a ton of privilege that the average population did not have.
These folks are very different from your average western communist that gets into it after taking a few social courses in university, going on vacation to Cuba and thinking communism works and is the way to go. I have yet to see a communist country that is doing well.
It’s sort of like all of us… we are all Family 
I know several who were raised in communist countries.
Politics used to be about that. Not anymore in America.
Given the moral stances of the GOP now, particularly the MAGA movement that supports a man found liable for sexual assault, found guilty of fraud, who tried to overturn a legitimate election, who stokes the worst tendencies of people’s grievances, nationalism and racism, it’s no longer about the nuances of governance.
I have zero respect for anyone who supports this movement, and have no interest in associating with people who do. My last post above was a joke about Sven on this forum.
It is super telling that everyone that disagrees with you is a “racist and sexist” and needs to be “managed.”
I don’t have any ‘good friends’ that I wouldn’t talk about politics with; but then, I don’t have any ‘good friends’ who aren’t on “the same side” as me, either
There have been mutual “uncouplings” let’s just say
If it’s as bad as people say, you’d think that would have cured them of it.
I used to enjoy the opportunity to talk politics with my FIL when I was under the impression that he was interested in the substance of the topic and not just D bashing. That veneer washed away quickly and I realized how little he knew about the issues he’d rail about.
You may as well be talking religion given the true nature of the discussion. Politics for many is now a matter of belief and faith, good and evil, and it seems to be the rare exception to the rule that people’s grasp of the information exceeds the convictions of their opinions.