Political rants on social media

[Judgydog]

Just wondered why people do this. Do they think they will change the way others vote with their rantings?

Most of my close friends have similar views to myself but I'm aware that some other friends and relatives possibly don't and I wouldn't want to ram my views down their throats. I have one friend who constantly posts political stuff, some of it is quite aggressive (DON'T FUCKING VOTE TORY). While I actually agree with most of what she posts, I'm starting to find it quite cringey so am refraining from liking and commenting. She's often asked me if I've seen a particular post and so far I've muttered something about not going on Facebook much when what I really want to say is shut up, you're boring and embarrassing, please can you share some dancing cats instead

I know it's her wall and she can post what she likes and I can scroll or unfollow but seriously wonder why people do it?!!

It always seems to be a certain type of person who does this, OP.

Usually heavily over opinionated, desperate to ram theirs down everyone else's throat. If anyone disagrees with them they get personal, then deny getting personal and then hypocritically accuse others of taking it all too personally.

I will never understand it either, but yes, block/unfollow.

I unfollowed every one of my friends the day the GE was announced. It's not so much political rants as people cheerfully espousing opinions that make me think less of them in my case. I have very strong political opinions myself and don't want to inflict them on anyone or have theirs inflicted on me.

I sometimes post political stuff. I don't think I'm over opinionated, it interests me and I've had alot of interesting discussions from it. I try to keep it to a minimal, and I have alot of people on my fb who are younger and some who don't see the point in voting so maybe it might change the non voters to register and vote. I find that worse than the political things on fb, the people who don't vote but happily slag the country off in their statuses about schools, drs ect

That does sound a bit much. In general though I think it's a good thing for people to discuss politics out in the open and although I rarely contribute to Facebook threads I will often read the articles posted and do extra research to form my own opinion.
Politics needs discussion.

You've answered your own question, people can post what they want, you don't really need to know why.

Perhaps they have personal circumstances which mean a particular party/policy has devastated their life and a public rant makes them feel a bit better. I have a Labour voting friend who has a child with disabilities who is distraught at the idea of another Tory government, she rants sometimes. I also have a staunch Tory friend who goes off on one sometimes about benefits restrictions. My neighbour is Lib Dem and posts a couple of times a week about voting for them to stop Brexit. There are others too.

Some I agree with, some I can't stand seeing. I just unfollow the latter and ignore them.

I think in the last twenty years people haven't discussed politics much but with Brexit etc more people feel that they need to 'stand up and be counted' - or at least state publicly what they believe in It is interesting though...

It's odd, we have this kind of thing on the one hand and on the other we have grown adults of normal intelligence who don't have even the most basic understanding of our political system and think that is just fine even when they depend on the very things our government is in charge of such as hospitals and benefits.

Between the two I think I have more respect for the ranters than the willingly ignorant.

I don't like aggression towards other opinions but, apart from that, I think politics is a great use of social media.

Much better than dancing cats, which I'd find pointless and scroll past.

We're all different. So YABU, people should use social media in the way they want to and those who are like minded can engage while others can just ignore.

Two friends (irl & fb) are huge Momentum supporters. Even as a Labour voter myself, their shouty biased posts make me cringe. Neither seem to realise that social media is an echo chamber and appear to be 100% convinced that Corbyn is the next Jesus and if we don't worship him the planet is doomed. I just don't get it.

Littlecaf Our next door neighbour is like that. Completely beyond reason.

Apparently our area is going to have a Labour landslide as everyone they know is voting Labour. Truth is that of the three local seats two are extremly likely to swing to Tory and the third may very well do so too.

They will probably I mode on the 9th June if it happens.

I'm all for healthy political debate but it's the opinionated ranting I can't stand and feel there are more appropriate forums. I did post quite a bit of anti-Brexit stuff last year (Not rants though) and ended up being deleted by someone. No loss, an ex-classmate who was borderline racist. However, it made me realise that there are other friends I'd hate to lose over a difference of political opinion so have reeled it right in and have saved that kind of discussion for nights down the pub with others I know like a bit of debate!

I agree OP. I have unfollowed a dear friend after five days of endless links to The Canary, The Other Five Per Cent (?) And We Believe in Jeremy Corbyn. Every link is followed by comments about how biased the media are and how much the commenters hate the Tories.
It usually features some call to arms along the lines of we must educate people about this, yet the beginning and end of the activism seems to be endless posts on Facebook.
I have also had memes apologising for the amount of political posts but she is trying to save the NHS, elderly, disadvantaged etc. I call virtue signalling.
Yesterday's was a desperate plea of ideas on how to get the uneducated people to open their eyes and see sense. What can we do? Was the question. Stop telling people what to do and assuming everyone who does not agree with you is an idiot, was my (silent) response.

I think we may be friends with the same person Cath

This was on Twitter last night. Madness....

I hate the way that they all believe they're right and that, if you don't agree and choose to vote differently, you are tantamount to ruining the country, ensuring that we all live in poverty, civilisation as we know it will end and so on and so on.

I can make the decision by myself. I don't need people ranting at me and being pretty abusive if I dare to disagree.

I do wonder what the point of it is.
As I said before, I call virtue signalling.
Does anyone really think that post upon post will change people's minds? Or are they arrogant enough to think everyone is hanging on their thoughts?
Or is it just to show everyone that they are - in their heads - more virtuous than them??
Today's treats include:
A link to something stating you have been brainwashed if you believe Jeremy Corbyn is a loser;
A link to a web page pointing out Teresa May wore diamond-studded shoes when she was on the One Show while eg nurses live out of food banks;
An apology for the amount of political posts but she is trying to save a nation;
And my personal favourite: A link to a site showing some duke avoided more tax in one year than the ENTIRE welfare budget. Go figure.
And that's just today!

There is a hash tag at the moment #CurseTheToryParty which apart from being childish, some of the posts are downright vile.

It's really annoying, the same people posting aggressive rants saying why their political opinion is the right one and how you're an idiot if you don't vote the same way as them.

I don't know what these people expect to achieve, they aren't going to get people to listen to their views if they go on in an aggressive way.

If you don't want to read the post (rant) don't read it. Simples.

Politics interest me greatly especially as it affects all walks of life so I do post about them. I know some friends respond because they get bored with it (although I don't shout as your friend does judgydog) but those who are also interested do engage with me and we have an interesting discussion.

I don't expect to change people's minds btw but do hope to open up what can be some blinkered knowledge based on DF for example.

some friends don't respond lol

Littlecaf agree 100% with you

I think you have some people absolutely committed hook, line and sinker, to the JC project that the dawning reality of a Conservative landslide is almost akin to a mental breakdown.