to really despise people who won't let others talk politics

[UnderHisEyeBall]

I have come across the phrase "it's turning into the House of Commons in here!", cue eyerolls, scoffing and lots of huffing about people daring to talk about politics. Usually by women sadly.

First, where did that godawful phrase come from? I didn't hear it until the EU referendum and then this election campaign, and secondly, why do the people who do this consider their position of political apathy politically superior? Yet also try to impose it on others? And are surprised when this doesn't go down well?

I’m not interested in other people’s views and in fact I’m not sure why they feel the need to share them. Can’t people just make yo their own minds instead of trying to influence everyone else.

I do think some people's "you just give one side and you aren't letting me give my side strop" can be translated as "you are the first person who has said anything coherent on the subject as opposed to 'that guy is as bad as Hitler / that guy is crazy and loves terrorists'. I haven't thought my views through as well as you have and I don't want to look silly or feel as if I might be wrong so I'm taking the huff".

It goes both ways of course and there are indeed some people who do get aggressive and won't listen. Those people are best avoided, but the subject they are discussing doesn't necessarily need to be avoided. I have to say that it has very rarely happened in my circles that someone really won't listen to the other side, but I suppose I have been lucky.

Honestly I enjoy politics, but there are certain people who if I hear them start the conversation I try and cut it dead. These tend to be ranty opinionated people who refuse to listen to anyone else. They also come out with things like "shy tory"!!! So op it might just be you

I've never heard it, but I do know some people who won't discuss politics except with very close friends/family. I grew up with the understanding that you don't discuss politics and a few other things in 'polite society' - luckily, apparently my parents didn't count as polite society, as everyone discussed anything at our table!

Life is shit enough (and it will undoubtedly get shitter) without hearing people go on and on and on about it at work, even if I happen to agree with them.

Just shut up about it and let me actually get on with my job, as that at least gives me some respite/distraction from the expected awfulness of 5.45am Friday morning when I pick my phone up to find out in what ways life is going to become shitter this time.

Oh, and as I have to work with do, let me merely have suspicions that your entire outlook on life is the absolute antithesis of mine. If you open your mouth and confirm that I wouldn't piss on you if you were ablaze, it's gonna make it a whole lot harder to smile sweetly and say 'of course I will' when you want something that's outside my job description, responsibilities, contracted hours or pay grade.

OP your comment at 12:31 is a lot different than someone just saying “please can we not talk politics”. I don’t talk about politics in real life except with mum and best friend.

but if you feel unable to discuss or defend your political choices, maybe you are making the wrong ones for you?

Perhaps people just don't want to, especially at work.

YAB massively unreasonable. And you sound a bit chippy.

I discuss politics every day, if not multiple times a day, with DH.

But I rarely discuss it with friends, unless it's a light touch on an issue, and moving on.

I fully agree with the old maxim that you don't talk about politics and religion, because it doesn't end well.

Never heard that phrase at all.
If you're hearing it frequently there's a good chance it's because you tend to bang on about it.

There are people I would not happily discuss with them, even if I basically agree with them, because they go on about it in a way I dislike. Usually either by repeating anything bad (true or not) heard about the other side, or wanting to hold the floor with a monologue.
There are other people whom I thoroughly disagree with, that I will very happily talk about it because they explain their reasoning, listen to my views and we can have a lovely discussion with no hard feelings either side.

I have friends who I enjoy listening to when they debate politics. They are very intelligent, very informed and despite their own often deeply entrenched positions, have an understanding of why people see things differently (not the bullshit clichés about tories being rich and heartless and labour being naïve and bitter.) I do not have the breadth or depth of knowledge to contribute to these discussions, but they're bloody interesting. Even if sometimes they do end up in shouting matches.

On the whole though, politics is a shit discussion for the pub. Most of the time it's polarising, divisive, inflammatory, ends up with one or two people monopolising the conversation regardless of the quality of their arguments, attacks people with views contrary to the majority, sidelines people with no interest/who don't want to get involved and leaves everyone feeling shitter than before when going out for a drink should be relaxing and fun. Or it's just a group of people self-congratulatorily patting each other on the back for being better people than everyone else.

Perhaps people just don't want to, especially at work.

Fair enough, at work, but I don't think the op is talking about that.

But outside of work, in social situations, I don't see why people wouldn't want to discuss politics to the point of shutting down conversations or walking away when they begin. I mean, obviously, not everyone will naturally lean towards discussing politics a lot, but when the conversation naturally goes that way? It smells a bit off if people cannot even discuss it briefly, unless they are a bit ashamed for some reason.

I'm genuinely not accusing anyone of anything, I just really don't understand why, for some reason, people think something which is so important to everyone and which has the potential to do us all so much damage or to do so much good, is a taboo subject or completely off the table. Government is about as public as you can get! It's quite incongruent to me, that so many people think it must be kept private.

When I was at primary school I remember waiting outside in the car while my parents went to vote (well it was in the 70's!), when they came back I asked them who they had voted for and I got a right telling off, was told you never ask anyone that, it was rude apparently, your vote was private.

Oh, how I wish for those days.

Ah nostalgia though. It ain't what it used to be.

I've had a fuck full of politics. I'm fed up with the news, social media etc. I'm voting. I've done my research. I'm not a Tory. Just let me be!

@OfficerPetriHawkinsByrd I don't discuss politics anymore except for with immediate family. The Scottish indyref left a bitter taste here with many people showing sides to them I didn't know they had.
The run up to the Indyref was so tense it created a horrible atmosphere here because all anyone would do was discuss argue about politics. I'm not interested in recreating that.

Maybe they’re sick of people creating echo chambers of self gratifying emotive politics. I know I am. I always enjoy a good discussion but I’m not interested in listening to people (of any persuasion) virtue signalling.

I grew up in NI during the Troubles, so I'm quite used to awful, divisive politics. In NI, in my youth, you genuinely risked your safety if you were too mouthy about politics. That's possibly why I don't understand why, in a less divided, less obviously politicised country, people are so shifty about it. I mean, maybe in some areas of England you might fear a knee capping if you bang on about why you vote Tory... or maybe not. But generally, you are a free to say what you like, within reason, and all you might risk is someone saying you're a Tory twat behind your back or something.

That was to @needsomehelptoday btw.

“ But outside of work, in social situations, I don't see why people wouldn't want to discuss politics to the point of shutting down conversations or walking away when they begin.”

My best friend’s birthday was shortly after the last election. We were having drinks in the pub, some political chat began, we stayed out of it. Unfortunately one couple had an actual row, IMHO, people began taking sides and when BF and I said “ we can not talk politics” we got “oh it’s only a discussion”.

Yes, I know one person’s discussion is another person’s row. But how about, on a night out, we all just stick to having a good time? BF banged the birthday gavel but it certainly made us think more about going out in large groups.

I also lived in Scotland for three years and found it to be fairly alright re politics, but that was pre Indyref tbf. Maybe it's descended into cold war since then.

• sorry that should say - we asked, can we not talk politics!

Get thee an echo chamber- they’re the best (esp. a Labour one!)

“ But generally, you are a free to say what you like, within reason, and all you might risk is someone saying you're a Tory twat behind your back or something.”

Also not that straightforward really. People are so angry and judgemental, what if it gets back to a client or a boss etc?

@AutumnRose1

That's a great example of a discussion going wrong. But it doesn't mean the subject itself was wrong. I have seen people properly falling out over all sorts of shit when they've had a few drinks. It doesn't mean people say "oh sorry, we simply don't discuss women anymore since Derek and John had that big falling out. Women are off the table. So is any discussion of music after Kim and Patricia fell out over who did All Along The Watchtower better".