How to respond when someone is ranting about politics

[365names]

Apart from STFU.

Nice guy but rants about local government and politics wasting resources. I don’t want to say shut up but would ideally like some suggestions of how to curtail the rant or close it down.

I’ve tried - if you feel so strongly as apparently our entire political system needs reform and there should be no parties just independents

• tried what is your solution?
• tried if you feel so strongly I suggest you stand for government yourself
• tried explaining it is a flawed system but better than most countries and asked him to explain a better system.

yesterday was a classic -

discussing slavery by the British.
of course it’s not right but I don’t know enough history did we really do that much wrong. Yes slavery is wrong but the British brought the slaves from other west African leaders. The parents of the slaves sold them to these tribes - that’s what is wrong. have these west African leaders been reprimanded?

me - no you are wrong. Most families did not sell their own children into slavery. But let’s stick to the British dealing in slaves - that was wrong. on repeat.

him- We were just doing what other countries were doing. Money changed hands but it wasn’t viewed as wrong then. Let’s go back to the families that sold their children that’s what wrong.

20 minutes of a monologue about that. me just repeating stick to what the British government did - over and over. But avoided the question. - I’m pretty sure this wasn’t a racism issue.

if felt that a NAMALT argument. A bit like when you talk about violence against women and someone goes on about violence of women to women etc or discussed a case of the woman in the media murdering her partner.

then he’s back to corruption in local government - try to talk about independent monitoring and transparency and then he starts ranting about corruption in fifa

writing it down it sounds stupid this is someone I work with - I don’t want to tell him to shut up but how do you deal with people like this?

is it a man thing? Or a person thing? or do I just need to be better informed

any simple one line statements to

1. stop him jumping from one to the next to the next in terms of topic
2. yesterday I felt like saying do you want a tape recorder as it wasn’t a discussion in the group just him ranting from one to the next to the next

another colleague who said something like ‘bring back Roman forums but without the slaves and women not being being allowed to speak - his response is to say ‘I agree with that’ which sounds so condescending.

we don’t want to exclude him, he is very intelligent and I don’t want to stop a discussion or walk away -but it is becoming draining - any one got any ideas-

I cut him off yesterday and said ‘you’ve spoken for an hour - anyone else want to talk’ - and someone started talking about work

he just monologues on and on.

but any one liners or tips for reigning them in ?

• have changed details and topics so please don’t add anything specific more like general strategies

Tune him out, nod and smile occasionally.

“Ok, anyway…..” and talk about something else entirely.

I think “oh god, not again! Do shut up!”

"Who fancies a cuppa?"... then bugger off and leave them to it.

Tell him you need to get some work done and stop engaging with him.

YANBU, but what’s your job if you have all this free time to talk politics for over an hour at a time?

This! It works to shut them up sooner.

I have to do exactly this when MiL starts on about the NHS and people coming in on boats ... and she even recently started pointing at me like I am responsible.

I would say, 'this isn't a discussion, you're just ranting at me so I'm going to just get on with my work now'

"Can't stand politics and politicians so I don't talk about it"

If this is just someone you work with, then when do these discussions actually happen that you can be listening to him ranting on for 20mins or longer? Is it during your tea breaks, lunch hour or what?

All I would say is find something else to do with your free time at work and always have a handy excuse to leave the conversation.

Why are you actually engaging with this guy and coming up with counter points to his arguments? That's just going to tell him you're interested in what he's saying and you want a discussion. You could say "mm hmm", "that's interesting" and change the topic. Or find a reason to not be in the room when he's in full flow.

Christ I feel like this conundrum has very little to do with politics.
You do not enjoy this conversations with him, he is just an acquaintance not your beloved grandpa. Why on earth put up with rants you don't care to hear???
Just have to be more brutally honest
"I don't want to hear you rant anymore"
"UK politics is depressing me right now! I don't want to hear about it"
"You are so negative!! Can we talk about something more light-hearted?"

Do not ask him questions about what he is on about or try to engage, if he doesn't get the hint avoid talking to him!! Just be silent when he talks and try to change the subject and to talk to someone else

You should not be able to talk for hours everyday about any subject never mind politics

If I was your boss I’d be kicking all of your backsides!!!

You are not obliged to listen to him, you are not obliged to respond to him. He sounds like a right arsehole.

Without explaining what I do - you don’t get to make this judgement. There is a large amount of unpaid time but trapped time as part of our jobs.
So yes we do spend a large amount of time together but not working. I’m not prepared to explain further and it’s irrelevant to what I asked!

I know someone who has very strong opinions about lots of things including politics. I should know not to go there with certain subjects by now. I used to try and reason or explain why their opinions were not facts but have learnt they don’t want to be educated. I just do that thing of listening and not reacting, and try and change the subject. it’s quite a skill!

I would just say ‘I don’t want to talk about this’ and if he carries on I’d tell him I’ll raise a grievance if he doesn’t leave you alone.

“Can we not talk about politics again please, it depresses the living shit out of me”. Let’s talk about nice stuff, whose got a holiday booked (or whatever nicer topic you can think up).

If you don't give all the relevant details people can't make balanced responses

You said you were at work and that should solve the problem very swiftly!!!

The workplace is not a debating ground!

Also if you don’t want to listen just put your headphones in?

It is not difficult at all to ask someone to be quiet 🤫

You were encouraging him by engaging in the subject and responding with a view he did not agree with. If you didn't want to talk about it, don't answer in a way that basically eggs him on to keep convincing you of his perspective.

Just say you don't know much about it, or that you're busy, or that you don't really want to get into it right now. Or that it's not really something that either of you are able to solve, so maybe best to just leave it.

I've found the she kind of people ranting about Brexit or Covid vaccines 😴😴😴

"Gah, I hate parliament, it's all a massive con...."
"I don't talk about politics. Let's talk about something else."
"Yes, but you have to agree they're all time-wasting, self-serving wankers..."
"I don't talk about politics. Let's talk about something else."
"Yeah I get that, but..."
"I don't talk about politics. Let's talk about something else."
"Er yeah but..... but....."
"Thank you. Right, anyone watch the footie last night?"

I've done this with family members who love a rant. Be prepared to interrupt the ranting, and use the same phrase over and over, as it highlights how they're being really rude by ignoring your polite request. Also gives them no room to argue with you. That bit is crucial!

(I did also have said family member say: "why are you saying the same thing over and over again at me?" To which I replied: "because I don't talk about politics, so let's talk about something else." I found that deeply satisfying 😀)

Are you my old boss? Had a go at us for standing around and waiting for the lift.

Just a simple. Statement. "remember the rule. Don't talk about money , politics or religion" and change the subject to the weather