Would you remain friends with someone who has different political views?

[SuicidalDream]

I would remain friends with someone who's willing to openly and honestly discuss any topic. I want to be able to tell my friends when I think they're wrong about something, and I want them to do the same for me. I have a few friends who can do this, and our views on politics and many other topics are converging over time as we challenge each other's views constructively. When we met, one of them was a lesbian separatist who was into new-age spirituality, another was a hippie with incoherent politics, another was a left-wing nationalist, and I was a fascist. Now we're all some variety of Marxist-Leninist. Most of us are atheist and the new-age pagan is now Christian. We have fewer disagreements as time goes on, and we try not to let any belief go unchallenged (the Christianity debate is a work in progress).

 

[odradek]

Possibly, it depends on how significant the dissonance is and how that impacted the friendship. I do not doubt that if a friend held certain views it might end the relationship. So it depends I guess.

However, I doubt anyone with significantly differing views to myself would even want to be my friend.

 

[Fragile]

It depends on the person and how extreme their ideologies are.

Also, if they make every single part of their personality about their politics, then it's impossible to actually remain friendly with them. I lost many close friends when a big portion of the people in my country turned into those ultra vocal socialists that are just as fun to be around as an ultra zealot catholic who can't shut the fuck up about me going to hell or something.

At that point I realized that there are some irreconcilable differences that can't be ignored.

 

[callme]

Only if you let politics get into your friendship. Everything can be politicised and it is, for a gain. Not for friendship, society, love or common sense's gain.

 

[narval]

I have a friend with a diametrically opposite political point of view.

Sometimes, for him, I am an evil capitalist who will buy babies to eat them and, for me, sometimes he is a dangerous communist who will lead us to an a holodomor.
But 1/2 hour later we're happily talking shit about vampire: mascarade 5th edition or were the hell the titans came in Attack on titan

So yes to the poll XD

 

[Circles]

Like others have said I think it depends such as how often they talk about politics or if they're trying to force their beliefs on you for example. I can't in good conscience get involved with anyone who still believes in Marxism, Leninism, communism. I don't want to get involved with religious conservatives mainly because of their numerous views against abortion, suicide, lgbqt rights, etc, etc,. I don't understand what's happening to liberals and it's making me not agree with them more and more over a lot of issues such as censorship, vaccine mandates, etc. I've even dipped my toes recently into anarchism because I kinda feel politically homeless and I've learned there are different schools of thought under anarchism but there are only 2 ways people believe it should be implemented: either by force or by peaceful means and I don't believe in force. And I can't get behind people who like antifa cause they're hypocrites. So much more and I guess this is part of the reason why I don't have friends because if your beliefs hurts people in any shape or form then I can't get behind it and still call you a friend. But then again what beliefs don't hurt people in some shape or form regardless? I don't know.

 

[callme]

Just look at how much politics derange people

 

[NumbItAll]

if they make every single part of their personality about their politics,

Yeah, that's just way too annoying to deal with, even if I agreed with them on 100% of everything. I'm okay with differences as long as it's nothing that makes me think they are an asshole (disclaimer: a lot of things might make me think that). This is mostly hypothetical though since I barely have friends anyway lol.