Whenever political discussion arises, conversations typically go in one of two ways- amicable discussions or heated debates. Nowadays, young people are more politically active than ever. With this, however, come stronger opinions. Unfortunately, differing political views can destroy friendships if the topics are approached incorrectly. When talking to someone who disagrees with your political opinion or party, ensure that your conversation remains diplomatic; truly listen to what the other person is saying while respectfully refuting or agreeing with their positions. Instead of being extremists with no middle ground, attacking entire parties, and talking over one another (e.g. the Trump and Biden debate) reason respectfully with each other by finding shared values and diving deeper into specific topics.
A fun and neutral way to approach politics with friends is to take The Political Compass test together. I did this with my friends the other day and found that it provided insight to not only their views, but to mine as well.
The Political Compass test asks questions based on how you see the country and the world, your economic attitude, personal social values, and wider society. Answer options are strongly disagree, disagree, agree, or strongly agree. These questions cover a variety of topics from immigration to abortion. For example, some statements to agree or disagree with are: “I’d always support my country, whether it was right or wrong,” “The freer the market, the freer the people,” “Those who are able to work, and refuse the opportunity, should not expect society’s support,” and “The death penalty should be an option for the most serious crimes.”
When taking the test with friends, go over each question together. Even though everyone will have individual answers for their own test, verbalizing each question together and taking the test at the same pace helps to reveal everyone’s views and why. Each question addresses a specific topic, which can be used to start a political conversation. Discussing each question and answers with one another is a simple way to gage everyone’s opinions and respectfully share perspectives on them. Essentially, The Political Compass test can be a guide for open political conversations.
Once you finish the test, your result will be displayed on a grid with economic and social dimensions. This is The Political Compass. It will tell you if you are authoritarian left, authoritarian right, libertarian left, or libertarian right, and how much so. This provides a clear picture of where you and your friends politically stand. From there, you can easily compare similarities and differences based on where you are in the grid.
Instead of having divided left versus right debates, try to have more united political conversations. You can take The Political Compass test here.