Does Anyone Find Talking About Social Issues Stressful?

I aint no hater... but I hate it when people say I ain't no hater.

That sums it up well.

 

No, it actually makes me feel better.

 

My parents are extremely politically ignorant (even though they're on the opposite of the political spectrum it has nothing to do with that). We get into arguments constantly because they try and justify some parts of discrimination and when I bring up any kind of number or fact they say "show me the facts" or "I don't believe that" or "I agree to disagree" (even when it's a FACT).

Just yesterday voter ID laws came up in conversation. She tried to tell me that "everyone has an ID" and that "why are you for voter fraud". I told her "You would think people would have IDs and I thought so too but people don't". I told her to look up the numbers and she told me to - to which I replied "I have. I spend a LONG time paying attention to politics. Way more than both of you. Voter fraud isn't an issue". I look it up. Around 2,000 cases of voter fraud since 2000. People without government issued ID? 2.3 Million people. That's right. Republicans want to stop 2,000 cases of voter fraud (which isn't enough to change one election and keep in mind this is over 15 years) and in the process prevent 2.3 Million people from voting who just happen to disagree with them politically.

I guess you can say I find talking about social issues stressful. However it's only really stressful when I'm talking to someone who's politically ignorant.

 

Yeah. There's only so much argument I can take or so much energy I want to spend focused on the negative things in the world. I like to pick and choose my battles otherwise it'd be exhausting

 

Yes, I do. And I really don't bother discussing them with certain people anymore. For daring to question SJW narratives, I've been called "piece of shit", "scum", "disgusting"...I won't bother with those types anymore. They are base, and the finest hypocrites the world has to offer.

 

I avoid these topics with people I know do not agree with me. Makes life more peaceful :lol:

 

People don't know how to listen nowadays..always waiting for their turn to talk while shutting out what the other person has to say. Its unfortunate, but luckily there are people out there who are not like this (hence befriend them!)

 

I usually dislike discussing such things, as I usually only have an opinion that contradicts others and will not change.

 

Personally, I find it more stressful to not talk about my social issues, as the anxiety from bottling it up feels like it eats away at me internally, it's so awful.

 

Yes, it's a difficult issue. As with so many things the emotional investment in a position completely clouds things

Yet talking about these things is important, without communication there can be no process

 

This is from an article that looks at the way people use "opinion" or "belief" to deflect whether what they say is actually true.

@Geek, if you haven't already heard it, there's an interview here about a new book on the topic you were trying to discuss with your folks. Interesting, and alarming.

 

It is indeed very stressful. These discussions can get extremely heated because people are very emotionally attached to their beliefs. Sadly, I think as a society we've become so divided that we're losing- if we haven't entirely lost already-the ability to disagree with an idea and not a person. The level of discomfort involved is so stressful that people are limiting their social circles to like-minded individuals, which is a shame because good debate is how people grow and change. But what can we expect in a society where "Liberalism is a Mental Disorder" is a book title? That about sums it up.

 

The only good thing about politics and social issues is that it reveals how everyone is equally horrible. Even my "allies" make me sick sometimes and I feel bad choosing the lesser of two evils like that's really going to make the world a better place to live in.

I commented to a friend yesterday about a Cracked article that was posted to a small gaming community about sexism in videogames. That anyone, especially women, looks at Cracked as either humor or social commentary is deeply unsettling because it's all sensationalism, hypocrisy, ad hominems, and sexism against women--it infantilizes us and makes us out to be helpless and exceptions.

An example is another article with legitimate complaints about how women are talked to in online dating where the author went on to literally tell people she hoped they'd die. I so often hear this very same gaming community and others discuss the urgency of dealing with things like how women in gaming podcasts, gaming communities, Internet communities in general, etc, are told to die, threatened, and harassed, but I guess it's okay when women do it because we're victims and we're upset, so like children we can say whatever we want and it's not really serious and it doesn't count.

Unfortunately, Cracked seems intent on continuing to write about women's issues and women continue to support it. I just hope women like the #ilooklikeanengineer crowd continue to speak and create content that shows them being as professional and intelligent as women in their positions should be treated as to drown it out, because my crowd is busy supporting content that makes us look a lot less than we are.

 

It can be stressful when the person disagrees with you, and especially if the other group is extremely polarized and sure of themselves. Most issues are not black and white, and most people's minds cannot be changed it seems. Even when presented with new information they want to keep their worldview constant so they reject it.

 

On EC I do. There's the usual bunch on this site who will jump on the attack if you have a different opinion to them, writing essays just to make themselves look clever and knock others down.

But I do enjoy talking about social issues with people I know.

 

I find it stressful if the person I'm discussing with is all black-and-white on the matter, and won't even try to see why the other side might be right.

I'm a pretty ambivalent person, and I try to look at both sides of an argument and can often admit that both sides have valid points.
When the person I'm discussing with can't do that in return, I just want to facepalm or knock my head against a wall.

And politics... I have some friends who are very adamant about things like politics and feminism, and they will become increasingly frustrated at me if I don't take their side exlusively. I can't stand that, so I tend to stay away from them when they're in those moods.

 

It is on here, since there is a prevailing consensus and anything to the contrary is usually shot down in flames by the usual suspects in a really stereotypical hard-left manner (which is why their opinions are rarely embraced by the general public - people don't like being called stupid).

But on other, more rounded forums where things are not viewed in a black-and-white, 'matter of fact' manner, it's actually enjoyable to discuss these things, because people's minds are often open to different viewpoints, rather than closed off. Not to mention that you have to tread on eggshells on here to avoid hurting people's feelings.

 

I dunno. While it's good to see people trying to change society for the better, they end up coming off as pissy, pretencious, and overly-sensitive. Its like "do you guys actually do anything else with your life, or would doing that just be too 'comformist' for you?"

 

I have a love-hate relationship with talking about these sorts of things.


I agree with you, most people do resort to insults and faulty logic tricks in order to push their position. I'm sure I've done it a few times myself.

Honestly though, every once in awhile you cross paths with someone who you couldn't possibly disagree with more and instead of hating them at the end of it you both feel some weird kind of connection where you respect one another's way of thinking, and while you don't change anyone's mind you find yourself enjoying the debate itself. It keeps you on your toes and makes you think.


The problem though about the "middle ground" is we are a society where "Us vs Them" has been pushed to an absolute extreme by the internet and sensationalist media.