Office politics are like the flu. Most of us know that there’s nothing worse for morale than getting tangled up in workplace politics. No matter how much you want to avoid them, there’s no absolute way to ensure that you can stay away from office politics.

Like the flu, office politics are highly contagious. Sometimes things your coworkers are talking about include useful information, but other times, gossips just mean trouble. With each new person that becomes involved, the issues spread. Before long, people are at each other’s throats, undercutting one another, and worrying about whether they’ll keep their jobs.

If you don’t catch and treat the symptoms of office politics early, they can spread like wildfire and paralyze your organization.

The Flu Incubates Silently

Much like influenza is triggered by environmental factors, office politics require a certain environment to infect a work place. Whenever a company undergoes change, politics can come to light. The changes could be as simple as promoting a new manager, firing an employee, expanding the company, or downsizing.

In the same way that the flu affects those with weakened immune systems first, office politics start with weak employees. Staff members who only care about their success without worrying about the company tend to be affected first.

People who care only for themselves without thinking about the needs of the company can be disastrous for workplace culture. They treat people who agree with them well, and they reject anyone with a different opinion.

When the office gossips become involved, the disease spreads. A lack of transparency regarding policies about performance evaluations and promotions intensifies the political situation. Employees start competing with each other instead of working together, and progress ceases.

It’s Highly Contagious

Policies combined with certain personalities enable office politics to take over a workplace quickly. At first, the symptoms are mild. Perhaps a few people feel resentful toward one person, and they chat about them behind their back.

Think of this as the way you feel when you are just coming down with the flu. Maybe you started coughing, your nose was a bit runny, or you felt a chill. Sure, you can probably get through your day just fine, but these symptoms are warning you that a bigger problem is on the way.

What started out as a little gossip rapidly turns into a situation in which a small group gangs up against one person. In response, the person may form a posse of their own. Before you know it, they’re competing for a spot at the top of the company instead of working together for the good of the organization.

This wouldn’t be a huge deal except that eventually this affects everyone in the office. Even those who aren’t interested in getting involved may be dragged into the dispute. Employees who do not become involved may quit because of the working environment.

At this point, everyone is unhappy at work. The quality of work decreases as employee stress increases. Company outputs come to a grinding halt.

Build a Strong Immune System

When the flu starts going around, people have a number of reactions. Some ignore the symptoms and feel sicker. Others rest, take medicine, and drink plenty of water to help with recovery. Others do their best to prevent it, and even though they may still come down with it, they usually know what they need to do to get better.

The same is true for office politics. Politics may affect people differently, but the key is to get better quickly and build a stronger immune system. Here are some ways to do it:

1. Hire wisely. Preventing office politics from becoming a problem starts during hiring. When an organization finds a person with the ambition to support the company’s goals instead of focusing solely on personal success, they are worth hanging on to.
2. Be fair and clear about expectations. Organizations need ground rules so that everyone can have a rewarding work experience. Maintaining transparency so that employees understand how and why decisions are made reduces chatter. Making sure that the workload is distributed fairly, prohibiting gossip, and giving people the chance to voice their opinions constructively can be a big help.
3. Look out for signs of trouble. If everyone–especially leadership– keeps an eye on the workplace’s culture, you’ll be able to spot the symptoms of office politics when they first start instead of waiting for productivity to suffer.

Treat the Symptoms as Soon as You Sense Them

Don’t allow the contagion to continue spreading. When you know there’s a problem, tackle it head on.

• Root out the origin. Office politics usually start with one person or a handful of people. Identify and talk to that person to figure out what is driving the drama. This can help you determine if the issue started because of problems with management or hiring. Sometimes a polite chat can reverse the damage right away.
• Know when to say goodbye. If the person can’t understand the consequences of their actions, or if they aren’t willing to listen, they may not be a good fit for your office. Let them go to save your office culture.

You may not be in a position to hire and fire people, but you still have a responsibility to care about your company’s culture. If you see something concerning, bring it up with your manager so that they can handle it proactively.

Leadership that cares will spring into action to stop the illness from spreading. Managers with bad intentions will choose to do nothing. If you bring a concern to your leadership and they refuse to come up with a solution, it may be time for you to move on. You need to be in an environment that won’t stunt your professional growth.

Nobody Is 100% Immune to the Flu of Office Politics

The best way to cure office politics is to stop them as soon as they start. Even if you try your best to stay out of them, they can very quickly make your workplace stressful and unpleasant. The best thing you can do is recognize the signs of trouble early so that you or your leadership team can treat the contagion before it infects everyone.

The post Office Politics is the New Flu appeared first on Lifehack.

The political stage of our country is fraught with many complicated issues. Corruption, bureaucracy, violence and lack of empathy with the masses at the grassroots levels are some of the prominent features. Floor- crossing and switching of loyalties have become the order of the day.

Add a new dimension to the game of politics students and we have a new concoction of a dangerous political era that could affect our political as well economic lives for long times to come.

Politics in the college has become a hotbed of regional and national level political manipulations. Elections in the students unions of the colleges and the universities are in fact, proxy wars of the major political parties. Money, hooliganism, violence and gaudy promotions of Candidates in the elections of Students' Councils are some of the prominent characteristics of elections held in colleges and universities. The educational schedules take a backseat and struggle for power takes ugly proportions in many cases.

Why students take to politics? For example, why should there be elections in an engineering college whose students are unlikely to join a political party ? The students of arts and politics are likely to be interested in this profession. But wastage of time and energy is an important issue. This wastage leads the students to ill-planned careers as they suffer on account of their poor performances on the academic front.

However, only some of the students join active politics later. The politicians milk them during their college days and leave them without any career when they join a political party. After all, a social worker of a political party remains a social worker. However, he has no support from his party for building his future or even for meeting his basic needs. He has to take up a profession or a, vocation in order to survive.

When the student leaders are elected in the college and university elections, they take their commands from their political bigwigs. Boys and girls, who are not adept at getting a decent job, are made Vice President, President and Secretary of a student union. They do not know what they are saying to the students as their words are the cooked up words of the politician who guides them. Their actions are controlled by the instructions from the offices of the major political parties.

Political events in the educational institutions lead to violence, destruction and colossal wastage of money. It is an irony that a student, who goes to his college by bus, is able to arrange enough of donations through his efforts for posters, loudspeakers, campaigns and other promotional gimmicks. Further, the leader of the students always have one difference or another.

The lost party always tends to resort to leg- pulling and violence. Elections bring outsiders especially criminals, hooligans and opportunists--on the centre stages of educational temples. The incidents of beating of candidates, murders, destruction of buses and private property and kidnapping of rival candidates are quite common.

Academic sessions are not held regularly. Even if the classes are held, the powerful student leaders force the students to close the college or the university for the sake of their petty demands ego. Those students who are interested in studies, suffer the most. They are not interested in political affiliations but are forced to vote and support a particular set of candidates. The academic and sports performances are also adversely affected.

The solution should be provided by the State in the form of legislation. Active politics is not bad for the College-going students but it should only assume dangerous proportions. Only those students, who are interested in taking up politics as career, should participate in political activities. The rest must avoid politics. Adoption of violence, money power, threats (physical and mental) and external political influences must be banned. Then only, the campus life would be more productive for the students.

The political parties must refrain from interfering in the educational institutes. Adequate legislations must be passed for separating politics from educational institutions. If a political party interferes in the affairs of the educational institutes, it should be banned. Students should join political mainstream of the country only after their educational stints in the colleges and universities are over.

Only serious students should take up political science as a subject. It has been observed that political science is studied by the students of arts for pursuing their graduation or post graduation courses in the arts stream. However, all these students end up with jobs of clerks and peons and political affiliations are cut off in the interest of the survival. Then, why study political science if it is not going to develop the students as political trendsetters of the future?

Political affiliations are always welcome. But this should happen only after the minds of the youth have become mature. The young minds must be able to think about their survival and later, about the political streams, which they are about to join. The final touches to this training should be given when the student joins a political party and has been able to achieve some landmarks during his academic life.

It must be noted that the psyche described earlier is not prevalent in all the strata of students (which includes the students of politics as well). Most the students are interested in joining the educational institutions, learn some useful skills, pass out after enjoying the college or university days and finally, settle down in a job or a business. Politics never fascinates Indian students and many surveys have proved this fact. So, there is no need for linking politics with educational institutes. This would help the State maintain healthy environment in the educational campuses.

We must conclude that politics and students must be separated in the interest of healthy political growth of the nation. The students of today are the torch bearers of the national progress in all spheres. Their tender minds must be trained carefully so that they are able to assimilate the political ideologies in the right perspective. Further, they must remain responsible to their parents and families during their educational stints and much more committed when they join active politics after completion of their education.

The holidays are usually time for family, friends and celebrations! Unfortunately, fun times can turn tense if the conversation turns political. If you either can’t or don’t want to avoid the subject, there are some guidelines you can follow to maintain the holiday spirit. Remember to be respectful and polite, and look for ways to diffuse tension. If all else fails, you can make an early exit or even stay home to avoid a fight. Don’t worry, you can still have a happy holiday season despite political chatter!

EditSteps

EditHaving Constructive Conversations

1. Be open-minded. Don’t arrive at a family dinner with pre-conceived notions. Maybe you know how your Aunt Sally voted in a recent election, but that doesn’t mean you know how she’ll behave. If you go into a situation expecting tension and negativity, that’s likely what you’ll get.^[1]
   
   • Walk in with a smile on your face and a friendly hello for everyone.
   • If Aunt Sally brings up politics, don’t assume she’s trying to pick a fight with you. Wait to see how the conversation goes.
2. Establish your boundaries. Before you attend a gathering, think about your comfort level. Are you okay talking politics? Do you need to avoid certain topics. Set boundaries for yourself, and communicate those boundaries to your friends and family.^[2]
   
   • You could say, “My blood pressure starts to rise after about 10 minutes of election talk, so I’ll be heading to watch football if the conversation goes much longer than that.”
   • Another thing to try is, “I’m happy to talk politics, but can we agree to not interrupt one another?”
   • You can also make certain topics off limits. Consider saying, “You know, talking about immigration is really personal for me. Could we save that discussion for when there are fewer people around?”
3. Refuse to argue. You can talk politics without getting into a fight. Give yourself a rule that you will not allow yourself to be drawn into an argument. If tensions seem to be rising, try saying, “Well, I think we’ll have to agree to disagree on this one. Want to take a break for a minute and get some pie?”^[3]
   
   • Don’t interrogate someone. A good way to avoid an argument is to keep yourself from peppering them with aggressive questions about their stance. In turn, refuse to let someone else interrogate you.
4. Listen to the other person. When you’re talking politics, make sure to give the other person a chance to talk. It can be easy to get on your soap box about an issue that is important to you. Try not to get carried away. Get others involved by saying, “I guess I’ve made my point clear. What are your thoughts on the issue, Bill?”^[4]
   
   • Show that you are listening by maintaining eye contact and occasionally nodding your head.
   • You can ask questions for clarification. Try saying, “I’ve never heard that theory about climate change. Do you mind my asking where you heard that information?”
5. Be respectful. It’s important to remain polite and courteous during political conversations. Don’t revert to name calling or saying hurtful things about the other person’s character. You should also keep your tone of voice down and avoid making hostile gestures such as pointing your finger in someone’s face.^[5]
   
   • If someone insults you, try saying, “I’m happy to keep talking to you, but if we could keep things more civil, I’d really appreciate it.”
6. Limit the alcohol. Alcohol has been know to fuel many arguments about politics. If you know that the topic is going to come up, try limiting yourself to just a glass or two of wine. You want to be calm and collected when you talk about sensitive subjects.^[6]
   
   • If you notice Cousin Connie has really been hitting the eggnog hard, it might be a good idea not to walk up and start talking about election results.
7. Keep it kid friendly. At many gatherings, kids will be present. It’s okay to talk about politics at the dinner table, but remember that they are there and listening. Watch your language, and avoid talking about topics in a graphic manner. For example, you don’t have to go into detail about the images you saw from a recent mass-shooting.^[7]
   
   • Encourage others to keep things child-friendly. Try, “Hey, Bill, I know what you’re trying to say, but could you avoid using language like that in front of my kids? Thanks.”

EditDiffusing Tense Situations

1. Look for something positive to say. If a debate over politics seems to be heating up, try to remind yourself and others to say something encouraging. For example, if you find yourself yelling about changes to women’s health care, take a deep breath and re-frame the situation. You could say, “I guess we’re all upset about this issue. At least we live in a country where we’re allowed to peacefully protest. Who’s up for heading to that march this weekend?”^[8]
   
   • If your uncle is worried that immigration reform is going to hurt his employees, try saying, “That’s a tough problem. I know a great immigration attorney. Let’s give her a call tomorrow and see how she can help.”
2. Make a joke. Laughter is a great way to diffuse tension. If you can see that someone is getting angry, try to insert some humor into the situation. You can say, “I see you two are getting pretty upset. I can’t wait to see what happens when you remember it’s your turn to do the dishes this year!”^[9]
   
   • If your cousin is upset by election results, you could say, “At least you’re in good company. I doubt Hillary is having much fun right now, either.”
3. Change the subject. If you can’t see a way to make the tone lighter, it is probably time to switch topics. You can ask others for their cooperation by saying, “Hey everyone, let’s relax for a bit. Did anyone watch the new episode of This is Us last night?”^[10]
   
   • If necessary, you can even make an awkward transition and just insert yourself into an argument by saying something like, “How about those Cubbies!”
4. Walk away. If nothing that you’ve tried works, it’s okay to leave the room--and the conversation. There will be plenty of other times to debate health care. Don’t let politics ruin the only time you get to see your friends who live in a different state. Join another group of people and start a new, enjoyable conversation.^[11]
   

EditAvoiding Political Discussions Altogether

1. Ask for the guest list. If you are concerned about potential conflicts, you can try to find out who else will be attending the gathering. You don’t have to make a big deal out of asking the host who else is coming; you can keep it casual. Try saying, “It sounds like your holiday party will be fun! Who all are you expecting?”^[12]
   
   • You can also make it more specific, if necessary. Maybe you know that you and your friend Brian are likely to get into an argument. You could just ask the host, “Do you know if Brian’s coming?”
   • If you are concerned that you won’t be able to have a good time, you can give a polite, “I’m sorry, I won’t be able to make it this year.”
   • Choose to go to gatherings where you will feel comfortable and where you can expect to enjoy yourself.
2. Speak to the host beforehand. If your inner circle is known for getting into heated debates, you might feel wary about heading into the holiday party season. If you just don’t feel up for tense discussions, try asking if everyone is willing to keep the conversations light and fun this year. The host is a great person to enlist to help you make this request.^[13]
   
   • For example, maybe your friend Kate is organizing friendsgiving this year. Ask her if she would mind saying, “Let’s embrace the holiday spirit and leave the politics at the door just this once. Come over for dinner around 5 p.m.!”
3. Keep the politics out of the office holiday party. It’s generally best to avoid talking about politics at work. You might inadvertently strain your relationship with a coworker or even your boss. Politics can become very emotional and detract from the professional atmosphere of the workplace. It’s probably a good idea to extend this rule to the office holiday party. It might seem like you’re all friends just having fun, but you don’t want there to be tension on Monday morning.^[14]
   
   • If you’re gathered around the punch bowl and someone says, “Wow, can you believe those Trump tweets this morning?” deflect and say, “These sure are interesting times! Did you get a chance to try the shrimp cocktail? It’s delicious!”
4. Limit your interactions with difficult people. You might feel very passionately about politics and want to engage in constructive debates. Sometimes, however, that’s just not possible. For example, if you’re really liberal, you just might not be willing to listen to your conservative friend’s opinions. While it’s great to engage, it is okay to give yourself a break during the holiday season. Decline invitations if you know you’ll end up in an argument. If you do attend, strike up a light conversation with a neutral person.^[15]
   
   • Hopefully your mom will understand if you have to say, “Mom, please excuse me from your holiday party this year. I just really can’t deal with my cousin Beth right now. I’m still happy to help you out by picking up the pies from the bakery.”

EditTips

• Acknowledge that political debate is healthy. A democracy counts on people being able to share and voice ideas, arguments and opinions.
• Remember to keep discussions civil.
• Don't allow others to treat you with disrespect.
• It's okay to turn down an invitation.

EditSources and Citations

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In a perfect world, everyone would respect each other's political beliefs and live together peacefully. In this world, however, politics are known to tear apart friends, family, and even partners and spouses. If you and your partner are on opposite sides of the political spectrum, you may think your relationship is doomed. Fortunately, however, you can deal with political discord with your partner by staying respectful, looking at the benefits, and agreeing to disagree.

EditSteps

EditStaying Respectful

1. Watch your tone. When people become hurt during disagreements, it’s often because one person feels like the other is being disrespectful towards them. This commonly occurs because of the tone or edge in their voice. Keeping condescending attitudes out of the discussion may stop hard feelings from forming.
   
   • When you feel yourself getting worked up and potentially getting an attitude, take a break from the conversation. You can say, “I need to take a break for a minute. I’m starting to get upset and I don’t want to say something I don’t mean, or say it with an attitude.”
   • Excusing yourself from the conversation in this manner is respectful and can prevent a huge fight from occurring.^[1]
2. Keep your beliefs between the two of you. There’s no need to drag anyone else into your political conversations. There also isn’t a need to talk badly about your partner’s politics to anyone, particularly your children. Instead of causing more issues by bringing others into your disagreements, simply keep the political talk between you and your partner.
   
   • You can talk to your children about politics, just try to keep your own beliefs and opinions to yourself, especially when they differ from your significant other’s. Stick with the basics and avoid inserting anything else other than the facts.
   • If your friends or family wish to discuss politics with you, simply say, “I don’t like to talk politics with friends or family, so let’s discuss something else.” Voicing your opinion in a calm way allows you to move on and keep the relationship intact.^[2]
3. Avoid speaking negatively towards one another. It’s common to hear of Democrats and Republicans trading insults, especially during debates. Doing this with your partner, however, is unacceptable. Although you have a difference of opinion when it comes to politics, you should refrain from insults and hitting below the belt to get your point across.^[3]
   
   • Remember that politics is not black or white, good or evil — it is a spectrum, and there can be a lot of gray area. Don't assume something about the other person's beliefs or personality based simply on their political alignment. They don't necessarily agree with each and every viewpoint being presented by one side. People, and politics, are complex, and it's not necessarily a case of "all or nothing."
4. Practice listening, instead of speaking. In a majority of conversations, people don’t listen as intently as they should. Instead, they are simply waiting for the other person to stop talking so that they can then begin to speak. Not fully hearing your partner can lead to misunderstandings and hurt feelings. To prevent this, fully listen to what your partner has to say and then formulate a response.
   
   • It may take some practice and a lot of self-restraint to resist defending yourself and your beliefs before allowing your partner to speak their mind. However, if you do so, you’ll likely find that your discussions may not end in as many arguments.
   • You can also ask your partner to do the same. You could say, “I am going to do my best to listen intently to what you have to say before I interject my opinion. I think if we both practiced this type of listening, we could better understand each other.”^[4]
   • If your partner is taking about a topic you're not familiar with, be honest and open about it. You might say something like, "I'm not familiar with that topic so I can't comment on it, but I'll do my best to educate myself on it."
5. Remember how important your relationship is. In all of this, remember how you feel about your partner. There’s a reason why you are together in the first place. Instead of coming back with a cutting response, think about how much you love each other and if winning the conversation is worth potentially damaging your relationship.
   
   • Simply taking a deep breath and choosing to walk away from the conversation may stop a disagreement from occurring in which feelings are hurt. Instead, be the bigger person and realize that your relationship is more important than what is occurring in politics.^[5]

EditLooking at the Benefits

1. Pay attention to what you have in common. Although you may have some differences in opinion, chances are, you agree somewhere. Even if it is something small, it is something you can build upon. Use this common ground as a foundation to launch into a respectful conversation.
   
   • For instance, you could say, “I know we disagree on this matter, but we have the same opinion when it comes to this. Let’s focus on what we agree about instead of what we disagree on.” Starting off on a positive note helps to make the conversation more productive and hopefully, less confrontational.^[6]
2. Appreciate that your other half has their own thoughts and ideas. Although you may not like their opinions, at least your partner is knowledgeable and confident enough to formulate their own thoughts and beliefs.
   
   • You likely wouldn’t want to be with someone who conformed and agreed with every opinion you had. Be thankful that they don’t follow the crowd and are comfortable enough in their own skin to speak up, even if their opinion isn’t popular.^[7]
   • A friend or partner who has different political views offers a great opportunity for you to test your own open-mindedness. Rather than disagreeing for the sake of disagreement, use your differences to learn. Take advantage of the information your partner has and use it as an educational opportunity.
3. Learn to fight “healthy.” Having a partner who disagrees with you provides the perfect opportunity to learn how to have an argument in a respectful and healthy manner. You can figure out how to have a debate with someone without using insults and cutting words. This can also help you in other situations, such as at work or with other family members.
   
   • While discussing your opinions, take care to keep your voice level and calm. Also, avoid using derogatory words and attempt to talk to your partner the way you would want them to talk to you. If you feel your partner is becoming disrespectful, point it out in a polite way so they can understand why what they said or how they are behaving is inappropriate, and they hopefully won’t do it again.^[8]

EditAgreeing to Disagree

1. Avoid talking about it. If it’s getting to the point where you aren’t able to have a discussion about politics without a huge fight taking place, it’s time to take a break from the topic. Agree to take time off from discussing politics at all. Together, decide on an appropriate time for the break. Perhaps after the break, you can begin to start discussing politics again.
   
   • To approach the subject you could say, “I think we need to stop talking politics for a little while. It seems like we fight more now because of the subject, and I love you too much to let this affect our relationship.”
   • Voicing that your concern about the relationship is the driving force behind this decision will show your partner you care about the quality of the relationship and want to make it work.^[9]
2. Support your spouse as they work out their beliefs. Your spouse may think they stand with a certain political party, but they may also still be working out their beliefs. Being supportive and withholding from judgment or criticism can help them to develop their political values and opinions.
   
   • Part of being in a relationship is helping the other person become the best they can be. Let them know that you are there for them and leave your personal opinions out of the equation, unless they are asked for.
   • For instance, you could tell your partner, “Although we have a difference of opinion, I respect that you are working to develop your own political beliefs. I will be here to support and help you in any way that I can.” Letting them know that you want them to grow and become well-informed and strong in their convictions will show that you are able to put politics aside and focus on the bigger picture.^[10]
3. Refrain from talking negatively about the political views of others. If you and your partner differ politically, they likely aren’t going to want to hear what you have to say about other people whose views you oppose. Not only will your partner probably think you are negatively speaking about their own views, but they may take offense that you don’t seem to respect differences of opinion.
   
   • Instead, simply don’t comment on other people’s political views, especially if you know it is a hot topic for your partner.
   • You can also ask your partner to respect your loved ones as well, by not criticizing their political views. Showing this type of mutual respect can help your relationship become stronger.^[11]
4. Look towards the future. When the dust settles, your relationship will likely not be affected by anything a politician does. Chances are, you and your partner will go about your everyday lives and still enjoy spending time with each other. You probably won’t even talk about politics again until another election occurs. Remember this when the next heated discussion occurs.^[12]
   

EditSources and Citations

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The reason it’s so hard to talk about politics nicely is that all politics boils down what rights and privileges you think people should have or not have, and it’s impossible not to take that personally. However, just because it’s difficult, that doesn’t mean that it can’t be done. Politics affects absolutely everything and so to not talk about it is to not talk about a massive aspect of everyone’s lives.

Whatever your political opinion, everyone should agree that a more informed and more engaged population is a good thing. For that to happen, we need to figure out a way of talking about politics without coming across like screaming lunatics.

1. Don’t Assume Everybody Is Lying

In November 2016, I was travelling around the US with my girlfriend and so we were there in the build up to (and the aftermath of) the 2016 election. Needless to say, politics came up a lot. In hostels filled with young 20-somethings from across the world (albeit, mainly economically developed countries), political arguments bubbled up as people threw facts at each other.

Facts are a vital tool for debate; that much is obvious. Still, like every great tool, they need to be used properly. The temptation is to bombard your fellow interlocutor with the facts that you have so as to bury them with information. You already have an answer to every counter-argument they have with a list of statistics you’ve memorised and you know exactly why you’re right.

Everything is going great until the person you’re talking with pulls up a different fact, from a study you’ve not heard of, and it throws you because it upsets your worldview. The kneejerk reaction is a response that everyone should avoid:

“That’s a lie.”

I’ve watched this happen. I watched two very intelligent people talk about gun violence in the US, a sensitive topic if ever there was one. The conversation turned into a monologue as the guy closest to me listed a whole bunch of facts he had. The guy sat opposite replied with a very big claim, backed up by another statistic, and so the immediate reaction from the guy sitting next to me was to accuse the other of making something up. The response to that was something I’ll never forget:

“If you’re going to assume I’m lying, then there’s no point in us having this conversation.”

If you ever doubt what someone is saying to you, your job is to research the truth for yourself. It’s true that sometimes people are wrong because they misinterpret information, and sometimes people are wrong because they misremember information. And yes, sometimes people will straight up lie to you.

Still, you have to start each conversation with the assumption that people won’t lie to you. Politely fact-checking is one thing, but assuming someone else is a liar just because you don’t agree with them is quite another.

Society is built on trust. Restaurant owners trust that customers will pay the full amount before leaving; car owners trust that engineers have built sturdy roads and bridges; and debaters need to trust that the other isn’t lying to them. Otherwise, “there’s no point in us having this conversation.”

2. Don’t Assume Everybody Is Telling The Truth

This might seem like a complete contradiction, but it really isn’t. When we’re debating with someone we disagree with, we tend to assume that they’re wrong. When we’re debating with someone we agree with, we tend to assume that they’re right. This is confirmation bias,^[1] while it’s something that everyone is guilty of, that doesn’t make it okay.

When we read the news, we’re often just looking for the information that helps us to confirm our existing beliefs. It requires less mental effort to think, “I am right and they are wrong” than to recognise that the reality is much more nuanced. We tend to fact-check when we think people are lying, but we don’t tend to do it when we think people are telling the truth. What we should be doing is fact-checking indiscriminately. If you give every statistic you agree with the same dose of healthy scepticism that you give every statistic you do agree with, you’ll begin to understand why other people think the way they think.

3. All News Outlets Are Biased (And So Are You)

Bias exists everywhere and news outlets are both the agents of this phenomenon and the victims of it. News outlets are businesses. Imagine you owned a business whose job was to report the events of the day. You would end up expressing your opinion on the news you were reporting even if you tried not to. Every word you choose to use (or not use) and every detail you choose to focus on (or not focus on) reveals your bias. Even if all the words you say are true and all the details you focus on are relevant, your bias is still there.

The idea of “objective” or “neutral” news is a fallacy. Objectivity exists in the realms of physics and mathematics, but the real world (and the language we use to express ourselves in the real world) is too chaotic and fluid to be understood objectively.

In linguistics and computing, this is known as the symbol grounding problem^[2] and it’s essentially the reason why we’ve not been able to create consciousness in robots. To simplify, the symbol grounding problem is the notion that no matter how basic you make a symbol, people are still able to disagree about its meaning. Take this symbol, for example:

What is it?

Is it the letter “I” or is it the letter “l”? Or is it an image? If so, an image of what? Is it a pole? Is it a building? Is it a road?

There’s no correct answer. That symbol could be a whole host of things depending on the context or on your point of view. When you realise how difficult it is to get people to agree on what one symbol means, then you can understand why things become problematic when those symbols become words, those words become sentences, and those sentences become political news coverage.

4. Be Nice…

It sounds obvious enough, and yet so much televised political debate features politicians belittling other politicians. From Prime Minister’s questions in the UK to the primary and presidential debates in the US, politicians are bent on insulting each other.

We all know the reason for this; they’re trying to make the other person look weak in order to gain votes. Evidently, it must work. Otherwise, they wouldn’t keep doing it. But why do we do it? Why do we insult each other when we talk about politics?

As an unashamed science-fiction fan, I am reminded of an episode of Doctor Who. When trying to stop yet another alien from destroying the planet, he pleads with them: “I just want you to think. Do you know what thinking is? It’s just a fancy word for changing your mind.” When we talk politics, that’s all we’re trying to do deep down. All of the heightened rhetoric, all of the grandstanding, and all of the raised voices: it’s all just to try and get someone else to change their mind.

In that sense, political debate and marketing is the same thing: the art of persuasion. As someone who works for a digital marketing agency, I have long known that nastiness doesn’t persuade anyone of anything. People don’t choose Coca-Cola over Pepsi because Coca-Cola said that the people who drink Pepsi are idiots who don’t know what’s “really” going on. Rather, Coca-Cola wooed people by talking about their product’s benefits.

5. But Don’t Mistake “Nice” for “Correct”

Good marketing is about creating a nice image for a product or service, whereas good political debate should be about a lot more than that. Sometimes this is not the case. Sometimes politicians are charming and polite and extremely courteous to the opposition while also being utterly incorrect. As an informed voter, your job is to see through that.

By extension, if a friend is being uncharming and impolite and extremely discourteous to you, they might still have a valid point. Don’t rise to their anger, but do engage with their ideas.

6. Try Harder

Debating politics is hard and so most of us avoid it completely. You might think that you’re debating politics because you share something online and then talk about it with your friends. Heck, sometimes you might talk about a story with your friends offline as well. You express your opinion and they express their opinion. That’s debate, right?

Possibly. Though, chances are, your friends have pretty much the same political views you do. Sure, a few of them might have dissenting views here and there, but most of the time you agree. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be friends.

Even if this is not the case offline, social media helps to create bubbles^[3] which ensure that this is the case online. Facebook, for example, only shows you content from the people and pages that you like and engage with.^[4] If you don’t like it or engage with it, it won’t be shown to you. In other words, if you do happen to have a friend who has views that you don’t agree with, you’ll rarely see those views on your Facebook feed.

The only real solution to this, aside from not using social media, is to engage with the other side. Leap across the political divide rather than settling comfortably into your own biases and simply dismissing the other side as full of crazies. It’s easy enough to throw around the word “extreme” when describing someone’s political views, but they probably don’t see their own views as extreme. To them, you’re the extremist.

7. “Imagine Others Complexly”

This is a philosophy created and endorsed by the Vlogbrothers^[5] and it’s essential to discussing politics. In order to have better conversations about politics, you need to imagine others complexly. Understand that the process that led someone else to their political opinion is as complicated and nuanced as the process that led you to your political opinion.

If you manage to do that, alongside everything else I’ve mentioned, let me know how you managed it. You’ll be a bigger and better person than I am for sure. What’s more, you just might be able to debate politics without being a complete jerk.

Featured photo credit: David Shankbone – Wikimedia Commons via commons.wikimedia.org

The post How to Debate Politics Without Being a Complete Jerk appeared first on Lifehack.

Political polarization is at an all-time high in the United States. It seems like just about everyone is picking a side, and rejecting anyone else who isn’t on the same page. This separation can affect meaningful relationships and place a wedge between you and those you love. You don’t have to live with this polarization, however, if you respect other opinions, stay away from the media, and educate yourself on politics.

EditSteps

EditRespecting Other Opinions

1. Avoid assuming the other side is “wrong.” When you characterize yourself as one political party, it’s difficult not to think that the other party is wrong. However, when you’re trying to remove political polarization from your life, it’s important to remember that the other side has merits as well.
   
   • You likely have a loved one who belongs to the other party, and if you respect that person, you should know they have a reason for choosing the side they are on.^[1]
2. Attempt to see the other side’s point of view. Just as you have reasons for why you belong to the political party you do, so do other people. Consider people’s backgrounds, religious beliefs, and cultures when attempting to see why they belong to the party they do. Removing polarization from your life is all about accepting other people and their beliefs.
   
   • If you know someone who has different political views, respectfully ask why they believe what they do. You could say, “I respect you and your beliefs and am curious why you have the political beliefs that you do. I want to learn about the other side of the political party.” This isn’t the time to argue or confront them on their views. Simply sit back and listen.^[2]
3. Agree to disagree on politics. You’ll need to decide what is more important to you when you have people in your life who don’t hold your political beliefs: changing their minds or keeping the relationship. If you want to maintain the connection you have, you may just need to agree to disagree on the subject. This could mean avoiding talking about politics at all.
   
   • If your loved one attempts to engage you in a political conversation in which you know conflict could occur, you could say, “Out of respect to you and our relationship, I don’t think we should talk about politics. We have different beliefs and points of view and it seems that we argue when we discuss them. I want to continue having a good relationship with you and I think talking about politics threatens that.” They may be upset at first, but they will likely understand over time.^[3]

EditUsing the Media Wisely

1. Watch the news with caution. The media is infamous for playing political sides. In fact, certain major news stations are known for being either more conservative or more liberal. Avoid watching them, as doing so can increase the amount of polarization you experience.
   
   • For example, Fox News is known for being conservative, whereas CNN leans more towards the liberal side. To be sure you're getting information straight from the source, count on watching interviews that allow politicians to express their views.^[4]
   • To avoid developing polarizing views, try not to lean one way or the other, but spend time watching liberal, conservative, or third-party content with an open mind. Also, be sure to verify the information you receive from other reputable sources.
   • Keep in mind that each political party has their own echo chamber of information. Be aware that there are two sides to the story and be cautious about what you believe. Try to find multiple perspectives on an issue before making up your mind.
2. Reduce time spent on social media. People tend to surround themselves with those who share their political beliefs. As such, you may notice that the people you are friends with on social media have similar political stances. Stay away from, or reduce the amount of time you spend on social media sites to avoid seeing polarizing posts.
   
   • If you can’t break free of social media, use a filter tool to limit what you see. For instance, on Facebook, you can hide your friends’ posts without actually unfriending them.^[5]
   • When things get tense, simply log out of your social media platforms for self-care. Do this if you feel like others' viewpoints are too upsetting or biased.
3. Be judicious in your web-browsing. The beauty of the Internet is that it gives people a place to express their views. This is also a double-edged sword because it is the perfect arena to create political polarization. You may inadvertently visit a person’s blog in which they freely discuss their own views, which can add to the feeling of separation you are experiencing.
   
   • If you must visit a news or political site, attempt to find one that isn’t biased. For instance, independent reporters or news sites are more likely to be unbiased than those that are ran by big companies.^[6]
   • If you want to reduce political polarization, look for impartial, fact-based sources like FactCheck.org or Project Vote Smart.^[7]

EditEducating Yourself About Different Political Parties

1. Talk to someone you trust. Have a conversation about the different political parties and their beliefs with someone who you trust. To get an unbiased opinion, speak with someone you don’t believe will try to sway you either way.
   
   • To get the conversation started, you could say, “I really respect your knowledge of politics and would like to learn more about the political parties from you. I think you could tell me in an unbiased manner, which is what I’m looking for.”
   • If they aren’t willing to talk about it with you, graciously accept their decision and avoid bringing it up again.^[8]
2. Take a course about politics. Check with your local college to see what political courses are offered. These classes are a great resource to learn about political beliefs in an unbiased manner. Your library, senior or community center, or church may also offer these types of courses.
   
   • You may also be able to take online courses or find a tutorial about politics. Doing it this way may give you more flexibility and allows you to learn in privacy.^[9]
3. Read. Finding unbiased books about politics may be a little difficult, but not entirely impossible. Scholarly books typically offer a fair point of view from both sides, which you can typically purchase online or at college bookstores.
   
   • You may also be able to check with your area high schools to see if they have any extra books they can spare or you can purchase. Additionally, a few apps are available that keep you updated with current events, and teach you about politics at the same time.
   • Look for books that aren’t endorsed or written by members of any specific political party. Educating yourself on the facts of all political sides may help to reduce the amount of political polarization in your life.^[10]
4. Learn about political parties from the past and in other countries. Learning more about how political parties operate and use propaganda may help you to gain a broader perspective on politics in general and have a more objective viewpoint on your own political system. For example, in some countries, there are multiple parties rather than the two party system in the US. Political parties also change over time.
   

EditSources and Citations

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Political is that branch of study which deals with the study of political bodies, government and administrative bodies, public policies and systems, policies governing the country and the overall political and administrative structure of a country of the world. The following are the branches of study in the field of political science - International relations Political philosophy Political ideologies and theories Political economics and policies

Today political science stands as one of the major fields of study in the world. Political science has its evolution dated back to the times of evolution of kingdoms. But the modern political science started in the 18th and the 19th century with the evolution of administrative bodies. For example the American political science was started in the early 1900's with the establishment of American Political Science Association (APSA) since then political science has become a discipline of study in which today people are taking up it as a career. The study in political science has gone to an extent that where there are political scientists who are conducting research in political methodologies and policies. Another major change that took place in the field of political science was the period that prevailed after World War 1 but what led this to were the theories that led to such changes like Marx's theory of communism and Hitler's dictatorship etc. These theories and events led to the advancement of political science throughout the 20th century. The branches of political science is classified as the follows- Institutionalism political science Pluralism political science Empirical political science Normative political science Rational choice political science

Institutionalism political science is further divided into historical institutionalism and new institutionalism. Historical institutionalism is a science which deals with the analysis of changes in political behaviors over a period of time whereas new institutional or neo constitutionalism focuses more on the social issues in relation to political issues.

Most experts say that the political science has its root in philosophy which evolved in Greece and this as matter of fact can be justified when the philosophical ideologies match with the way politics should be executed. Politics has come a long way but most of the times it is not practiced the way it is preached or the way it should be. Today politics is become more of personal style of ruling in which the ideals and the whole purpose of politics being neglected. The political systems and bodies that exist today are very contradictory in nature to the way politics should be handled, with increased bureaucracy and corruption the idea behind the science of politics and political system is diminishing. We need to wait and see for how long such unethical methods of politics will prevail - only time can answer that.