To think telling people to “unfriend” you on social media because of the way you’re voting is immature?

[Retpark101]

This is kind of another election one, but I don’t want to thread to be hijacked into discussing politics, in fact I actually just want people to respect that everyone has their own minds and opinions, they have a right to vote for whoever they want to.

There’s so many political posts on Facebook right now but I’ve seen a couple of people on my friends list post things like “if you’re voting Conservative/Labour/etc tomorrow, please unfriend me” or “delete my number and don’t speak to me again”
AIBU to think this is bloody childish and if you’re a mature adult you accept that people are all different and have the right to their own thoughts? I hate how this election is making people gate each other.

Unless somebody has extreme views then is it really worth breaking friendships for the sake of someone voting the opposite of you?

I remember when I was a little girl I went to the polling station with my mum and she told me you must never tell people who you vote for. I’m
Not sure if that’s was her or the time it was (way before social media) but I carry it with me now. I refuse to post anything political on social media. I don’t mind if others do. But we have differing opinions like everything in life.

I defriended someone because they called someone with my political views a ‘xenophobic arsehole’. I just realised that they weren’t someone I wanted to be mates with if they thought like that and couldn’t respect the opinions of others.

On my Facebook it seems mainly the Brits living abroad who are doing this. Particularly those in America who are showing the same belligerence towards Boris (renamed Doris in the various memes) as they do towards Trump.

I wonder the extent to which this practice has been imported from the US, where campaigning has traditionally taken a more partisan approach. The lack of constructive criticism for the Democrats/Clinton leaves me feeling that they got the President they deserved.

It is, unless someone is really extreme. I deleted an old school acquaintance for promoting Britain First.

If someone is just quite vocal about one of the mainstream parties, I just mute them.

@Spacebowlisback
I haven’t said it openly but I do dislike my Tory friends. I think it says far too much about who they are and that’s someone I don’t want to be around
It's this kind of thinking from the left that is really dangerous. There is no nuance, no acceptance of difference of opinion, just a strong believe that anybody that votes Tory is evil and lacks morals.

I am a swing voter and don't have a particular allegiance to political party. I would like to see the NHS and other public services better funded and would support some increase in taxation to allow this. I voted Remain and would like Brexit to be cancelled. I have voted Tory this election. I simply don't think that Labour or the Liberal Democrats are capable of managing the economy and county in a way that would enable them to meet all their numerous pledges. In my view a Tory government is the least bad option even if they have many policies that I don't agree with and have been directly detrimented by. I'm hopeful that Labour will change their leadership and political direction so that they become more moderate and I can potentially vote for them next time.

YANBU. Someone's politics are one aspect of them. I'm quite politically vocal on facebook (about my own views, not other people's) and I think that therefore means that I mostly only see posts that agree with me (forgotten the word for the facebook bubble thing that shows you your own views reflected back at you).

However, I know I have friends who think differently to me and that's fine. It doesn't make either of us evil or objectively wrong.

Feeling tribal about politics isn't a new thing though, it's just more visible now that there's social media and people generally aren't secretive about their vote like they used to be. I can remember my best friend at school saying to me, 'my mum couldn't believe it when we drove past your house and saw the blue poster. My mum votes for the red poster. She said she was shocked that your mum would be like that. The blue posters are really bad.' We were about 8.

It's pathetic, and actually quite sinister. These people are one mental step away from advocating for a one-party state.

Everyone has their reasons for voting. As long as it isn't due to extremist right wing views, I wouldn't be offended how people vote. We will all calm down eventually. My sister voted Tory, I won't be, but we can at least agree on that politics has gone to bollocks. We just focus on that, rather than differences of opinion.

I have unfollowed all the ridiculous people on my fb, who insist on posting political propaganda, in an attempt to change people's minds. It's pathetic and very very annoying.

I couldn't care less who anyone votes for and am certainly not going to lose friends based on who they vote for. Everyone will vote for the party that suits their own, personal circumstances and political beliefs.

@MistyCloud I ended up blocking a fair few people for some really vitriolic far right views after the brexit vote (to them) validated their point of view. Lots of very nasty memes about immigration, Britain First posts shared constantly full of lies. The memes targeting Diane Abbott were horrendous. I have theee people who are pretty vocal conservative brexiteers still on social media - not as extreme hence why I still have them but of my labour and momentum friends only one is almost as extreme in her vitriol for Tories as those who I deleted.

It's about motivation. I've ended friendships over politics when it shows we have vastly different and totally incompatible and often extreme world views (for example someone who believes LGBT+ folks should be killed. Drunk women are asking for it) But that tends to the extremes. I find a lot of those posts quite inflammatory and tend to escalate division. I also like to hear what people with different views to me believe. Even if i'm never going to agree with them, it prevents me.getting complacent living in a political bubble.

I think it’s great to see young people happy to be involved in politics and happy to share their views. I don’t think it is anything like sharing you’re at the gym in FB. Politics is much more important and I’d rather see them involved rather than apathetic.

I also think that voting for a certain party says a lot about your views and what you consider acceptable. I would assume that if you are any close to them, those views will have come out anyway. If you are not that close, then you are an acquaintance rather than a friend. In that case, does it matter if you loose those ‘friends’ on FB?

What I am deeply saddened about is the very deep rift between the two sides of the country. It’s like each side feels they have to e shouting very loud to be heard if they dint want to be forgotten about/ignored/brushed aside. It is true for leavers (who have won...). Remainers (who havent), labour an conservatives. I don’t think it’s going to change by just telling people to shut up though.

@Batqueen - repeatedly sharing/ liking Britain First posts is an instant defriend.

If someone asked me how I was voting, I wouldn't tell them. It's private and no one else needs to know.

@OhYouBadBadKitten

Most of Labour is not far left.

I would have to disagree.

Labour is VERY far left now. Never used to be so bad. It's only been since Corbyn became leader.

That is why they've lost multiple millions of supporters (AND MPs!)

They have always been 'left' but not FAR left. They are atrocious now IMO, and so is Corbyn.

I agree - this painting of Tories as evil scum really pisses me off. I am a natural Tory in my beliefs but do not agree with some of their current policies. I'm a good citizen, pay my dues, have spent all my adult life volunteering in one form or another and would not wish harm on anyone (within reason). I wish we had a strong and effective opposition. In fact I wish we had a strong and effective government. I have been saying for years that we seem to have lost all excellence in this country and I bloody despair.

I agree with some of the posters saying things like BNP and Britain first are different, I’ve deleted one or two people for posting those kinds of things, however I didn’t announce it.

I’m mainly talking about the main 2 parties Labour and Conservatives, that seems to be where the most tension come from. As long as my friends aren’t voting for racist parties then I’m not concerned.
For example my parents are voting conservatives for various reasons which matter to them and their values, a lot of my school friends are voting for labour for the same reasons. It doesn’t make either side a bad person because they agree with certain aspects of a manifesto unless it’s extreme like I previously said.

I don’t think every labour voter is “stupid” and I don’t think every conservative voter is “selfish”.

It’d be boring if we all agreed anyway

The inability to agree to disagree is pathetic, juvenile and signifies a lack of intellectual self-confidence.

Bibijayne agreed! Especially when what the page is etc is explained to you politely and you STILL defend it or get angry. . . People are bonkers

I haven’t said it openly but I do dislike my Tory friends. I think it says far too much about who they are and that’s someone I don’t want to be around

Surely if you consider someone to be a friend, encouraging open dialogue where you can each share your views is the way forward rather then making inappropriate judgements behind their back.

But it is only the LABOUR/CORBYN supporters doing this, not anyone else. And to a lesser extent Lib-dem and Green supporters. In short, the far left.

100% in agreement with this from what I've seen on my own social media feeds. I say this as someone who is voting Labour.

I'm only seeing it from Labour voters. And to a lesser extent, SNP.

Interesting how all the zealotry on unfriending folks who disagree with you is on one side of the political spectrum, isn't it.

It's almost as though it's a semi-religious mindset. The new puritans among us.

YANBU, they are pathetic. I voted Conservative but I know a lot of people who voted Labour or LibDem who I think are massive hypocrites. Their DC go to private schools, they have villas in Majorca and like to sit round with their 12.99 Prosecco from Waitrose telling everyone how awful the Conservatives are whilst their banker husbands flip lentil burgers on the BBQ. Non of them would ever get off their arse and help out a poor person. They are just virtue signallers and are passive-dangerous.

I think labour voters are particularly more vocal at the moment due to how long they have been in opposition. Many people are desperate for a change and want to persuade people however they can and don’t seem to realise yelling at people online doesn’t work.