AIBU to talk about politics?

[Interestedwoman]

My therapist says I shouldn't talk about politics, because one of my main goals is to make and keep friends, and she claims 'you don't talk to friends about politics, you just talk about how they are etc.'

I'm trying, but I find it very hard not to talk about politics sometimes. AIBU? It does mean I lose friends!

I talk about politics a lot. A lot of my friends are political and that's something we have in common and so we talk about.

I also who have friends who aren't that interested so I wouldn't force a political conversation on them.

As you're in therapy with the goal of maintaining friendships, is it possible that you struggle to know when certain conversations are appropriate or not?

I'm actively involved in local politics so have friends who are too. I will chat to them about it but I know what friends aren't interested so we talk about different things.

Friendship is about having common ground. You'll only lose a friend if you're constantly talking about something or pushing something that isn't interesting to them.
Know your friends and know which you can enjoy the conversation of politics with and you'll be fine.

@leghairdontcare yep definitely. I have autistic traits so I always say the wrong thing or something.

I have/had some friends I met through feminism, but even though we agree about feminism, we usually fall out about something or other we disagree about. :)

Don't you find that even if you agree on one issue, you eventually disagree on a different or particular one? And that makes you fall out?

For instance, Jeremy Corbyn (that's probably so 2016/2017 now tho lol) ,refugees, or trans issues.

No, I don't fall out with people because I disagree with them. Life is too short.

I've just seen your other thread btw and maybe you need to learn to let the little things go? Easier said than done if you have ASD (my son does) but something to work on. Or maybe just get off facebook

Yes I think in the UK people take offence very easily and don't like it if you have different opinions to you.

Whereas in other countries you have can have a good debate, disagree, and still be friends at the end of it all.

to them not you!

I have friends who are the polar opposite to me politically.

We're still friends. You don't have to fall out.

(That does not apply to members of any far-right party though. Them you can fall out with)

Politics is such an intrinsic part of life, it affects EVERYTHING. I think the statement 'just don't talk about politics' or 'I prefer to keep politics out of my leisure time' is such a privileged shitty thing to say. Not everyone has the option to just ignore politics as they're negatively affected by it every day.

A good friend should be able to disagree and still remain friends.

It’s OK to talk about politics but not every time and all the time that you see friends. People will want to talk about the things they are interested in too.

It’s OK to disagree but not to get angry and continue to try to persuade other people that they are wrong long after they have got fed up with the discussion.

It’s very common for people with autism to not recognise when the people they are talking to (at?) have had enough.

So I think your therapist is saying that you shouldn’t talk about politics if you want to keep your friends because you struggle to keep it amicable and mutually rewarding, not that nobody should discuss politics with friends.

I think a persons political persuasion , or how they feel about certain issues, really does define them as a person.

I wouldn't want to be friends with someone who was the opposite of me politics wise, as I feel it it's an example of their moral compass.

Probably where I disagree with Ellen Degeneres..she says she's friends with George Bush, despite having different opinions on major issues ( LGBT rights, foreign policy etc ) . I don't know how that can possible work.

Huge difference between being rude to someone, and not being friends with them.