I think it’s pointless to argue with facts against conclusions that are obviously emotional. This includes times where the facts being acted on would make someone’s life objectively better.

Due to this, when it comes to political discourse a more valid strategy may be to convince people that the “other side” of a discussion has some level of validity.

The primary problem seems to be that everyone perceives those who disagree with them to support (or even be) the thing that they hate or fear most.

For some people, the fear is that the person you are talking with sympathizes or is a part of a group like the KKK.

For other people, it is a fear that they sympathize with the new radicals that are parts of movements that ascribe to black supremacy that have taken extreme views and want to kill all white people.

In reality, the person you are talking to most likely wants nothing to do with the KKK or a black supremacist and completely disagrees with them as much as you do.

I think it might be fruitful to make someone understand that a viewpoint can be taken validly without being an extremist.

I don’t think it will be fruitful except in 1 out of 100000 instances. You have to find something where that person doesn’t hold a deep, emotional connection or a view that isn’t required to be a part of their tribe if you want to change their mind.

The challenge that I see, is that hating you for not agreeing with 100% of a certain philosophy is a part of the requirement of being a part of most mainstream political groups.

If understanding that others might disagree with you makes you not fit to be a part of your social group, will you disagree with the rules of your social group? I believe the answer to that is no.

Which brings us back to the reality of where we are. It’s worth a try to soften people’s views, but it most likely will be fruitless.

With this change in tactics, I am also going to back off from Facebook. I have found the time spent there to be entirely fruitless. In fact, I would say it has gone beyond that. My presence has been harmful and I have damaged friendships.

It has been extremely educational and changed who I am, though. Not Facebook itself, but those interactions were a part of it in showing me that even friends don’t want someone to disagree with them to the extent that I was willing to.