Avoiding politics

I'm very interested on politics because it affects everything we do. I regularly watch the politics show and parliament TV also I uses to be. A civil servant so have a very clear view of how it works. But I tend not to engage on line in discussion, because it can often become unpleasent.

I am interested in politics from the point of view that I always vote and personally think you should, if only because people died to give you the right . However I rarely post on the politics thread because it feels often like a lot of die hards not willing to listen to any viewpoint but their own and so I can’t be bothered to join in

Totally with MOnica on this. How I wish we could have open minds rather than the entrenched opinions which are regularly aired here.

I always read the political threads but get annoyed when it seems the same people keep posting the same incorrect facts.....e,g. Nigel had '£350,000 for the NHS if we leave the EU' on his bus. No, that was Boris' bus; different campaign group.

Also, some people state they voted not to join the Common Market (1973). No, there was no vote held when the UK joined but there was a referendum two years later held by Wilson when a majority vote was to stay. The difference was this democratic vote was enacted upon even though people had no idea then what they were voting for i.e. increased political union, not more trade.

Same argument used now though by the losing side! The cliff edge was actually when we joined, in my (researched!!) opinion.

Agree Terri

I heard Will Self say a couple of years ago ‘We have a political class unfit for purpose’. I would add we seem to have a large section of the population that is uninformed, and seems unable to argue: If someone takes a different point of view, instead of presenting their own case, they shower abuse. My view is it is opting out of human responsibility not to engage politically: it is about how to protect and share precious resources, especially for generations to come.

varian. I am extremely interested in politics and the economy and how our country is run, locally and world-wide. I have my own views developed from experience and often I feel strongly about things. However I deeply respect the views of others and I do not want to upset friends and neighbours - including my GNet "neighbours" by disagreeing with them on political matters or enforcing my own feelings. I would talk about a particular incident that happened to me, since this is a personal experience. For example my MP came to my house and treated me so badly, shouting in a rage, denigrating my furniture, and ranting at me, demeaning me because I am disabled and saying I cannot have decorating materials! I tell everyone this because it is so incredible for a start and of course it was dreadful and really horrible. She has a reputation for such things being known to "flip" and "leave reality". I will not name her here simply because GNet might have some repercussions as she is very litigious.
I also showed my deep sympathy for the local Conservatives when their MP walked out of the party after all their hard work to gain her a seat in parliament. I am not a Conservative and did not vote for this person, but I still felt extremely distressed about the way this woman so high-handedly turned her back on them with no warning when they had given up their time and money to support her and without them she would not have been in Parliament.
So, no, I do not argue about my political ideals but I do have them. I respect the feelings of others who follow a political party I do not like.

I wish we could have a decent system of Politics whereby every Politician just stuck to the issues and voted according to the needs of those issues.

I think some threads are devised just to elicit a reaction, this one is a bit borderline others are definitely what I would call "goady" Varian makes the assertion "political discussion only leads to argument" Well of course it does, point me to a thread on this site where that hasn't happened, what more proof can anyone want! Some people will not want to assert their beliefs or political persuasions, don't want to be ridiculed, don't have the tenacity to keep "going at it" with some of the more voracious posters, who I imagine rarely change minds, in fact I'd say the more diametrically opposed discussions on contentious issues, the deeper the entrenchment on both sides.

Although I am interested in Politics I don't very often talk about it. I don't see why anyone should be inflicted with my views & I'm not particularly interested in anyone else's as I have found it leads to arguments.
DH has no interest at all nor did my first husband- the only person I talk politics with is my ' since we were babies' friend & as we grew up on same road we are always in agreement.
My parents always voted but I never remember hearing them talk about it very much.
I would walk over hot coals rather than not vote myself.
My opinion is my business as far as I am concerned.

I caught this on FB the other day:

“I want my friends to understand that ‘staying out of politics’ or being ‘sick of politics’ is privilege in action. Your privilege allows you to live a non-political existence. Your wealth, your race, your abilities or your gender allows you to live a life in which you likely will not be a target of bigotry, attacks, deportation or genocide. You don’t want to get political, you don’t want to fight because your life and safety are not at stake.

“It’s hard and exhausting to bring up issues of oppression (aka ‘get political’). The fighting is tiring. I get it. Self-care is essential. But if you find politics annoying and you just want everyone to be nice, please know that people are literally fighting for their lives and safety. You might not see it, but that’s what privilege does.”

An interesting point .....

In fact I do have strong political views but the last place I would air them would be on Gransnet.

Beckett has said it all.

Thank you, will try that next time.

toscalilly put the quotes inside the asterisks and it should work.

I obviously did not get it right, wanted it in bold

Maggiemaybe I have had the same experience. I think it is a golden rule - don't make tongue in cheek comments on Gransnet.

Nonnie, what you see as a "*perfectly reasonable statement*"
comes across to me as patronising. "*It is not nice to feel attacked when you don't deserve it.*" If Varian feels so strongly that I have attacked here here than why does she not come back and tell me so? I think what you have done shows precisely the reasons for not getting involved in political threads on here.

(Hope I have got my asterisks & quotes in the right place, please for give me if I have not

I’m very interested in politics, an active member of campaigning groups and enjoy a good discussion in RL.

On the other hand, I have no desire to engage with randoms on social media who simply cannot cope with differing opinions or, God forbid, a touch of humour without resorting to insults. I was called ignorant just today on GN for a throwaway lighthearted comment. Granted, these people are in the minority, but they certainly make their presence felt. Is it any wonder people don’t engage on here?

I read and watch a lot about politics but wouldn't engage on Gransnet much because a lot of threads could just be headed 'why I hate Corbyn/Megan/etc' or 'Leave voters are all morons' and there is no point in going against the vitriol - and heaven forfend anyone who gets a point wrong. People don't just say, 'I don't think you're right about that' with data to support that, they insult and demean and decide that nothing you say could be in any way valid. I will always acknowledge it if I have made a factual error but not if people have been rude in pointing it out.
I love a good discussion, about politics more than anything, but when people are rude and dogmatic, there is little point and eventually people who do just want a chat stop clicking those topics.

I assume gransneters don't post on politics is because of the arguments it causes, which can become quite vicious at times

I personally do not usually comment on the political threads on gransnet because I don't live in the UK.

I always vote, even although I shall be hard put to it to know who to vote for next time we have a general election here in Denmark, as I have become totally disillusioned with the party I have voted for all my life.

I vote in council elections too and referendums, elections for the EU.

Dh does too, but I know many people have stopped voting here too. I hope when they find themselves living in something other than a democracy that they will blame themselves, but knowing human nature, I don't suppose they will.

I was brought up to believe that it is a duty to vote when like us you live in a democracy. I shall continue to do so once I find a party to vote for. Ploughing through election material now, as our election is coming up.

I think you have to have a thick skin to post on the political threads here!!!

If you happen to be a Conservative, Leave Voter with a steady income the first comments you receive are “all right jackery” and that you cannot know or care anything about the poor or disadvantaged.

I keep saying to myself that I am going to no longer post on any political thread, then against my better judgment I am pressing “post”

I must be a sucker for punishment!!!

This place just doesn't feel like the right forum for it. Not sure why. I sometimes discuss politics on my local facebook group.

Beckett and others have covered it for me.

I used to take a lot more interest in politics and have in the passed even read the manifestos of the major parties but as those manifestos started to merge I did wonder why I bothered.

I do have politics views, I still try to be inform, I do still vote but I will not want to get into an argument over my choices so I don't normally post on this topic.

Interesting post though.

Spoil my day?
For me, it’s all been said above.
So no thanks, no posting about politics here.