THE SIMPLEST WAY, OF COURSE, IS JUST TO AVOID THE TOPIC. BUT this will become harder and harder as we brawl through the November elections. These tips from care2.com are worth remembering.
1. Be choosy: Pick your battles—the Golden Rule of interpersonal relationships—is especially valuable advice when discussing politics. If your husband is yelling at the television during a candidate’s speech, is that really affecting you? Probably not. So don’t bother starting an argument over it.
2. Seek shelter on common ground: Instead of focusing on how you and your conversational partner disagree, look for areas where your opinions harmonize. Begin a conversation by highlighting the values and goals you both share.
3. Don’t get personal: Because politics are based largely on personal values and beliefs, there is no such thing a “right” or “wrong” way of interpreting the issues. If you’re having trouble seeing things from your partner’s point of view, try asking yourself why a rational person would come to such a conclusion. You may still not agree with them—you don’t have to—but it’s important to admit that their perspective is valid.
4. Check your facts: Don’t waste time debating factual information you can just look up on the Internet. Before you engage in a lengthy debate over the exact amount of money that the President’s plan for reducing the deficit is allegedly supposed to save, make sure you both know what that number is.
5. Let a sleeping argument lie: Once a political discussion has reached a natural stopping point, make sure it doesn’t start back up again. Quell your desire to have the last word in an argument and stay way from the phrase, “I just have one more thing to say about…”
6. Learn how to apologize: So many people don’t know how (or refuse) to apologize after they’ve said something wrong. Here are three guidelines for effective apologies: embellish the wrong (“I made a really big mistake when…”), say why you’re sorry, and tell the person how you’re going to avoid making the same mistake in the future.