Not Everything Was Political

Remember when you could have breakfast in a restaurant without being bombarded by Fox News at a high volume level? Remember when most people only discussed politics a month or two before an election? Remember not even knowing the political views of some of your friends, and you weren't very curious about it? Remember when patronizing a business wasn't always a political act? I do. Those were good times.

I'm not saying that current political fights are not valid or worthwhile, just that people need a break from it sometimes, and we don't always get it. Old times often tended toward the opposite extreme.

 

Yeah... Something like that.

 

It would just be nice to have a break now and then. It's so relentless now. Democrat bashing at breakfast and lunch. Republican rhetoric in line at the bank, waiting for a teller. Cashier at CVS saying "have a blessed day", turning a simple purchase into a religious interaction. Anti-abortion Bible verses listed on the sign at a barbecue restaurant, on my drive home. Enough already!

My closest college friends were morally liberal and had no interest in religion, but we didn't talk about politics very often. I guess we assumed that everyone in power would always be conservative in every way, so we needed to stay underground, keeping information on our personal views, values, and activities on a "need to know" basis. We spoke openly only when we were among trusted friends. There was no internet.

Saying anything politically or theologically controversial on the job, to a customer, used to be a serious offense. It still is in my office. The rules are very simple. Ask clients what they want, serve them, thank them for their business, and STFU! Our relationship with them is based on their willingness and ability to pay for what we can do for them, and nothing else. That's what professionalism is all about. Simple and easy.

 

Yep. Those were the days!

 

There is a woman at my work who has decorated her desk with Trump paraphanelia. I think it is wildly inappropriate for the office (no matter who the candidate) and if I were a manager I wouldnt allow it.

I think the internet caused this. People get so used to talking and reading about politics online they carry the discussion over into real life all too often.

I have friends of various political persuasions. We have the occassional political conversation and it always remains respectful - but for the most part politics doesnt play into our friendship. I always think its weird when I meet someone who wont be friends with someone because they dont belong to x political party. Politics shouldnt be that important to every day life.

 

I so agree, especially with turning a simple purchase into a religious interaction. As you (and everybody) probably well know I am a believer AND there is a lot to said for letting your fruits show you for what you are...a person doesn't need to (nor should imo) go preaching on a street corner. Everybody seems to have their own street corner nowadays and it makes me wonder what they think about the verse that should be telling them to go in a closet with it. If the "you have a blessed day" person is so compelled they can say a silent prayer for you...every prayer and thought need not be shared with the world. and with that...enough is enough!

lol omg I have relatives that are Trump supporters and I will admit that I think less of them than I already did.

There are a very few friends of mine that are also supporting him, and I will admit to seeing them differently. I really thought one of them was smarter than that, but she has a terrible relationship with both of her teenage daughters, my extended family neices. I wondered about that, until this election fever/fervor began and she has become very vocal about her support for him. It makes me sick even as I'm sitting here typing this.

The woman you describe above - I know people like her. All I can say is that I'm always glad to know how they think going in, up front. I will know to guard my tongue.

 

"Have a nice day" used to work just fine. They could be Jewish, Catholic, Buddhist, atheist, Democrat, Republican, KKK, whatever, it didn't make any difference to me as long as they were being polite and getting along with everybody.

 

I recently went to America and almost everyone I met asked what I think of the US politics situation. I barely give a fuck what is happening with Australian politics.

 

Politics used to be boring. Now it's considered entertaining. That's the short answer.

 

I don't really encounter this type of thing. Most restaurants seem to have sports on the television. I went to the gym the other day and Fox was on one TV, MSNBC was on the other. The majority of folks I encounter daily say they "hate politics." Other than the occasional joke about Trump, I rarely hear anything about the election.

I'm not saying that you don't have a point, Karen, and I am curious whether or not this varies by region. I was having this conversation with my partner not a week ago: he thinks people are more political now. Politics are more polarizing, and discussed more openly than they were 20 years ago. He thinks it started with or was caused by Bush's campaign and presidency. I don't know. The internet theory proposed by Meliai was thought provoking.

 

Probably.

 

No because i don't pay much attention to politics or people. For me the good times are right now.

 

What fun is a playground filled with well behaved adults.

 

Who says it's well behaved?

I'd say the turning point in my lifetime when politics went from boring from entertaining was Clinton's sex scandal.

 

I was assuming the opposite with my statement. The more of a circus it becomes the more entertaining it is. Hence the comment "what fun is a playground filled with well behaved adults."

 

Oh ok, got it. I didn't catch on

 

Obviously you're one of those ultra-conservative types still trying to live in the 1980's. Stop pining for a by-gone era!

 

I can see why you might be annoyed, but it's not that bad. It's better than feeling like you can't wish anyone Merry Christmas for fear of reprisals, imho

 

The blessed day thing kinda bugs me too, not really for its religious connotation but because I went almost my entire life without hearing the phrase at all, and in the last year I hear it a couple of times a week at least.

 

Before the glory days of Ronald Reagan and Jerry Falwell, church people in the South used to consider it rude to talk a lot about politics, especially at church. I've been to services on the Sunday morning before an election and not heard politics mentioned at all. The IRS had (and still has) a rule requiring 401(c)3 tax-exempt organizations to be nonpolitical, and churches used to comply with both the letter and spirit of the law, which is no longer enforced. For so many people these days, Sunday morning services have become more or less political action committee meetings.

Had Fox News existed in the eighties, business managers never would have risked having it turned on in a public area where paying customers might be offended by its editorial positions. For similar reasons, employees were discouraged from making direct or indirect references to Jesus, because they wanted to respect Jews as much as any other paying customers. They weren't really thinking about atheists or Buddhists, but they also benefited from the policy.

I like the old approach better.