How do you handle your friends who are political and economic idiots?

[Gonad the Barbarian]

Originally posted by: Engineer

Originally posted by: soccerballtux

Originally posted by: jonks
Do you stop being friends with people who know nothing about professional sports? Or stamp collecting? I don't pick my friends based on their areas of knowledge. My family have wide political views and we argue a lot on holiday dinners, mostly in fun, sometimes heated, but differences in political opinion do not overshadow the familial relationship.

Hm interesting. Sports does not make a difference in the ability of Americans to raise a family.

And politics does?

How about economics? Knowing all of the economic theories and other economic data help you raise a family? Really?

Knowledge of politics and economics has a direct impact on not only your ability to raise a family but nearly every other facet of your life because your life is impacted by these two factors more often and more profoundly than nearly anything else. Religion might rival these, but sports and stamp collecting certainly don't. Honestly people who don't have a good knowledge of politics and economics should be classified as socially dysfunctional because EVERYONE in this society is potentially 1) a voter subject to government legislation and 2) consumer/producer. Those are two of the most important roles everyone has, they form the very foundation of a lot other roles as well, and how people can attempt to function while being ignorant on these subjects is beyond me.

 

[Skitzer]

Just having knowledge is only part of the equation ....... you must be able to actually do something to change, improve or enhance these issues. Without that, political and economic knowledge will do nothing to help you raise a family or better yourself in any significant way.

 

[LeadMagnet]

I have 2 friends that just came out of the closet and announced that they were ultra-neo-cons and creationist. This has takens a toll on out friendship, and it can be even more difficult to talk around them with out upsetting them.

 

[imported_Section8]

I live and let live. My friends are entitled to their opinions.

 

[KIRBYEE]

.

 

[Moonbeam]

Originally posted by: Section8
I live and let live. My friends are entitled to their opinions.

Could be why you have some.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Refer them to here and move on.

 

[jonks]

Originally posted by: Gonad the Barbarian

Originally posted by: Engineer

Originally posted by: soccerballtux

Originally posted by: jonks
Do you stop being friends with people who know nothing about professional sports? Or stamp collecting? I don't pick my friends based on their areas of knowledge. My family have wide political views and we argue a lot on holiday dinners, mostly in fun, sometimes heated, but differences in political opinion do not overshadow the familial relationship.

Hm interesting. Sports does not make a difference in the ability of Americans to raise a family.

And politics does?

How about economics? Knowing all of the economic theories and other economic data help you raise a family? Really?

Knowledge of politics and economics has a direct impact on not only your ability to raise a family but nearly every other facet of your life because your life is impacted by these two factors more often and more profoundly than nearly anything else. Religion might rival these, but sports and stamp collecting certainly don't. Honestly people who don't have a good knowledge of politics and economics should be classified as socially dysfunctional because EVERYONE in this society is potentially 1) a voter subject to government legislation and 2) consumer/producer. Those are two of the most important roles everyone has, they form the very foundation of a lot other roles as well, and how people can attempt to function while being ignorant on these subjects is beyond me.

Please explain how knowledge of politics and economics (we're talking macro) has any effect whatsoever on raising a family. Who you choose to vote for president will have very little impact on your family, since your individual vote doesn't really matter at all. One can be an informed consumer and balance a checkbook without having any knowledge of national economic policy, which is what we're talking about here. I don't see how any of these things have an impact on internal family structures, let alone "a direct impact on every facet of our lives."

How many people do you think have a strong grasp of political and economic issues? Most people can get along just fine without listening to the bs our politicians spew year after year, and our personal positions on abortion or the death penalty or stem cells or invading foreign countries has almost no impact on how we live our daily lives since we cannot control those things.

The economy moves in cycles regardless of our individual wills. Sure, personal investment choices such as purchasing a home or saving for your childrens' college funds are responsibilities parent's should manage, but common sense with basic research and experience one gets just from living provides enough to get by on those counts. People aren't perfect and make mistakes often, and sometimes get suckered or make poor decisions (variable rate/interest onyl mortgages) but I dispute these things not only have a direct impact on whether one can successfully raise a family, but that these things impact family raising "more profoundly than any other thing."

As to labeling people who aren't political aware "socially dysfunctional", have you read any of the posts here from those who are politically aware? Socially dysfunctional would be a step up.

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

Originally posted by: jonks

Originally posted by: Gonad the Barbarian

Originally posted by: Engineer

Originally posted by: soccerballtux

Originally posted by: jonks
Do you stop being friends with people who know nothing about professional sports? Or stamp collecting? I don't pick my friends based on their areas of knowledge. My family have wide political views and we argue a lot on holiday dinners, mostly in fun, sometimes heated, but differences in political opinion do not overshadow the familial relationship.

Hm interesting. Sports does not make a difference in the ability of Americans to raise a family.

And politics does?

How about economics? Knowing all of the economic theories and other economic data help you raise a family? Really?

Knowledge of politics and economics has a direct impact on not only your ability to raise a family but nearly every other facet of your life because your life is impacted by these two factors more often and more profoundly than nearly anything else. Religion might rival these, but sports and stamp collecting certainly don't. Honestly people who don't have a good knowledge of politics and economics should be classified as socially dysfunctional because EVERYONE in this society is potentially 1) a voter subject to government legislation and 2) consumer/producer. Those are two of the most important roles everyone has, they form the very foundation of a lot other roles as well, and how people can attempt to function while being ignorant on these subjects is beyond me.

Please explain how knowledge of politics and economics (we're talking macro) has any effect whatsoever on raising a family. Who you choose to vote for president will have very little impact on your family, since your individual vote doesn't really matter at all. One can be an informed consumer and balance a checkbook without having any knowledge of national economic policy, which is what we're talking about here. I don't see how any of these things have an impact on internal family structures, let alone "a direct impact on every facet of our lives."

How many people do you think have a strong grasp of political and economic issues? Most people can get along just fine without listening to the bs our politicians spew year after year, and our personal positions on abortion or the death penalty or stem cells or invading foreign countries has almost no impact on how we live our daily lives since we cannot control those things.

The economy moves in cycles regardless of our individual wills. Sure, personal investment choices such as purchasing a home or saving for your childrens' college funds are responsibilities parent's should manage, but common sense with basic research and experience one gets just from living provides enough to get by on those counts. People aren't perfect and make mistakes often, and sometimes get suckered or make poor decisions (variable rate/interest onyl mortgages) but I dispute these things not only have a direct impact on whether one can successfully raise a family, but that these things impact family raising "more profoundly than any other thing."

As to labeling people who aren't political aware "socially dysfunctional", have you read any of the posts here from those who are politically aware? Socially dysfunctional would be a step up.

Well by all means name some things that potentially affect raising a family more than politics or economics. And I already said religion. Health is one, but considering the state of health care in this country it easily falls under politics and economics. Location would be another, but whether that location was good or bad ultimately hinges on its economic health which is often a result of local politics. You can go on and on naming things but ultimately most if not all of those things would fall under these two factors. They affect EVERYTHING we do, raising families included.

Notice how this country seems to be in steady decline? The gap between rich and poor widening and the middle class disappearing? Government getting more and more powerful with politicians getting away with what they do? It's from all those people "getting along just fine," ignorant of how the world around them really works, not really caring about anything outside their own little world, and raising a family that goes on to do the same thing. And you're right, this is how most people operate, hence our accelerating downward spiral.

I'm under no illusion that knowledge alone is going to fix all the problems we face. But things would be a damn sight improved if most people didn't just spew talking points or root for one side like a sports team instead of looking for and having the ability to see what the real problems are.

Oh, and I would love to have friends to discuss these things with. Even if they vehemently disagreed with me on every point. But the ones that I try to talk to aren't informed enough to have an legitimate discussion and cite cable news headlines or reasoning like "because" and " I just do" to defend their positions.

For example, I had one friend telling me how Barack Obama was sworn into the senate on a Koran. :disgust:

 

[miketheidiot]

that fact of who the op is is terribly ironic

 

[miketheidiot]

Originally posted by: soccerballtux
"Well I think the free market doesn't work", referencing things like Bear-Stearns, and having nothing to back their opinion up; but then ignoring that B-S wouldn't have even happened if it weren't for lending regulations from the government in the first place.

free markets are a non-existent hypothetical. Noone has ever seen a free market, and noone will.

 

[1prophet]

Originally posted by: soccerballtux
Do you keep them, or does the relationship deteriorate after enough of their close-minded, uninformed babble irritates you enough to stop caring about them?

Knowing what's going on in the world and the economy makes the rest of life difficult.

I have them watch this.