I choose not to converse with crazy people

The BBQ Pit
1

This cuts back severely on the human contact I have, especially given that I define “crazy” as pretty much any Trump voter or anyone who displays a lot of sympathy or tolerance for any Trump voter.

I just decided that it takes too much of my time and trouble and effort to engage crazy people in conversation, even on non-political topics. They have, as far as I’m concerned, disqualified themselves from holding valid opinions by declaring their disdain for evidence, reason, and the reality I live in, and could at any moment give an opinion on cuisine, sports, or the weather that is equally nonsensical—I find it takes too much bother to monitor their views on any topic, however far removed from political discourse, for signs of the madness that I know to lurk somewhere deep inside.

I think (I hope) this is a permanent condition. That is, I hope I will not backslide into forgiving such people their espoused views in 2021 when all this madness is behind us. “Oh, good old Joe was spouting a lot of crazy shit back then, but he’s returned to Planet Earth and is my good old pal with standard right-wing views again—all is forgiven.” That would be a mistake, I think, given that “disqualification” from polite (or any) conversation is a permanent condition—that is, once you’ve disqualified yourself from citizenship on Planet Earth, there is no re-entry procedure short of admitting “Yeah, I was a full-on nutjob back in the 2020s, that’s sure true, but I’m going to work hard to show you how sincerely I now revile all the views I held back then,” which ain’t happening. Otherwise, I’m going to think that they may be posing as rational beings again, but insincerely, and they could go off on me again at the drop of a MAGA hat.

This policy decision has been difficult, and has resulted in my having dealings with a far more limited group of people whom I hang out with, but you know something? The pandemic did that anyway. (I’ve dealt with it by isolating socially to an extreme degree—I don’t know of anyone who has shifted his daily life as much as I have to avoid all human contact. I can routinely go for days without seeing or talking to a soul, and sometimes weeks. I Zoom, I phone friends, I write and receive emails, but very little actual face-time over the past 18 months. It’s not so bad—I rarely feel deprived, especially considering the unsatisfactory conversations that I’ve spared myself yakking with MAGAts and MAGA-symps.) I just hope I’ll stick to it when they come crawling back into my life and try to re-identify as decent human beings who just happen to hold differing political views from my own. They’ve taken the mask of decency off, and if they try to put it back on again, it’s on me if I take the mask for their real face.

2

I wholeheartedly agree, in principle. But it’s possible for people to change, though very few ever do.

3

I think it would be nice if they all tattooed a capital T on their foreheads.

4

‘… on his forehead…’?

Imgur

5

That’s my point. It’s not worth all the trouble to dispute 999 lunatics on the chance that one of them will turn out to be open minded.

6

It is perfectly reasonable to decide with whom you wish to socialize. I congratulate you on reaching this decision.

7

Sounds amazingly like the last Tequila Bender I went on.

8

I’m pretty sure I got this link from SDMB. Seems an appropriate time to review it again.

9

I imagine they’re all delighted not to have to deal with your judgemental, bigoted self.

10

Who knew that all the warnings about the Anti-Christ were really about how Christians would welcome him?

11

Pretty sure it’s like ‘Bigotry? Ah! I know the feeling!’

12

When they do it’s very often through being given space. I’m overly argumentative by nature, but that’s really for entertainment. It never changes anyone’s mind.

13

I think when you’re thinking of ‘MAGAts and MAGA-symps’, you’re probably picture a 50-something white guy with a MAGA hat or something, right? I think you’re probably right - the vast majority of them just aren’t coming back. But I’d encourage you to keep your mind open for kids in their teens or early twenties. People in their developmental stages really do figure this shit out with high frequency, and become reasonable people. They don’t deserve to be written off for youthful mistakes.

You’re still posting here? That’s a shame.

14

That’s the craziest part! That is LITERALLY what the Anti-Christ is supposed to be! The AC supersedes the love of God and Jesus through political machinations and worldly knowledge and deceives His followers. They built a golden idol to him! How can they not see this?

https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/26/politics/trump-gold-statue-cpac-2021/index.html

I consider myself Christian though I do not attend church. It does bear mentioning that the AC is technically non-biblical.

15

It’s not really bigotry when you reject people for their specific and severe ethical failings. Judgemental, sure, but isn’t it kind of necessary to be judgemental about ethical failings? Otherwise, ethics doesn’t really mean much, ISTM.

16

Not even a matter of ethics, imo. When one group is all for maintaining and improving an inclusive society, striving for the betterment of all (as imperfectly as ‘our’ side may be attempting that), and another group is extremely determined to oppose any such thing, with great emotional fervor and zeal, well, what is to be done to include those who want to block or tear down what is being built up? Patience? It’s fundamental differences in the way the world is seen, and those differences have been around as long as Man has been around, I’d wager. We’ve managed to survive to this point, together yet separate, but the clock is visibly ticking.

17

I don’t have a clue about the political leanings of most people I deal with from day to day.

18

As the Spanish saying goes: más vale solo que mal acompañado. Better alone than in bad company.
Some people, fortunately, manage loneliness better than others. Good luck!

19

Sadly, I have one friend in particular who has been true and steadfast to me for nearly 40 years. He’s a good conversationalist, witty, and fun. I try to have lunch with him at least once a month.

Unfortunately, he’s…you know. He’s actually pretty good about not speaking his mind very forcefully, but you can get an idea of what he’s like when he casually mentions, “Oh, yeah, I got banned from Facebook again this week. I think it’s going to be permanent this time.” One would think that he’d have learned to walk the line in his postings by now.

20

That’s where I currently find myself. However, some people insist on forcing the issue. Hint: if you wear a MAGA hat, I’m not going out of my way to help you.