2024, it’s an election year; who will be the next U.S. president? The million-dollar question is fueled by a series of intense events, some of which have included a contentious presidential debate, an attempted assassination, and a new presidential nominee just months away from election day. The atmosphere between the republican and democrat parties has been polarized for years, leading to a stark divide within the population. The pull has led the topics of politics to be highly avoided in most settings and an increase in anxiety and fear leading up to November. Any discussions around the election, presential candidates, political agendas, and key issues can be approached with mindfulness to prompt open dialogue. My blog will shed light on the impact of a tense political climate with the goals of spreading more compassion and having constructive dialogue.
Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are the Republican and Democratic candidates running for election in 2024. Trump’s political slogan has been “Make America Great Again” and most recently updated to “Save America Again,” while Harris emphasizes “Not Going Back.” Their slogans highlight their political aspirations with force and promise. Unfortunately, simultaneously, it has resulted in people being split based on harsh political agendas and the unknown of our country’s future. Polarization, or the division within the U.S., detracts from productive or cohesive political conversations, resulting in heightened negative emotions. We’re also in a new day and age where social media is being used as a platform for passively or actively sharing political status. New marketing tactics have shown the true influence of connecting with younger generations, such as Gen Z, who hold a significant portion of new voters. While the media is often notorious for reinforcing the divide, we are experiencing a fresh perspective of social media usage to implement a sense of humor and lightness into the political climate. Social media is one of many tools introducing more togetherness on a large scale and micro level within individual communities.
Effective strategies for speaking about politics when engaging with a friend or family member could be active listening. One way to show your attention is to make firm eye contact and body language, lean in, and nod appropriately. You can also ask clarifying questions to show active participation, which might sound like, “Could you tell me more about Trump’s policies on health care? What do you think of celebrities like Beyonce and Ariana Grande endorsing Harris? How will each candidate’s Vice President nominee will impact their campaign?” These questions will prompt ongoing discussion. Disagreement within a conversation involving politics will happen, and the best method to stabilize the discussion is by showing empathy. Instead of being so eager to rebuttal, focus more on listening and mirroring back what they say with a brief summary of their point. It’s always validating to know the other is hearing you instead of waiting for their chance to speak or discredit you, especially when there is a clear opinion difference. Focus on the emotion disclosed, for example, “I feel so overwhelmed when my friends discuss the Palestine-Israeli conflict, and I never know what to say.” An empathetic response might be, “I also feel nervous and scared when I hear more about the ongoing conflict. It feels out of control, and I wish a solution would lead to peace.” You’re not jumping to problem-solving but instead focusing on the feeling expressed and your relatability to the emotion. When speaking with friends and family, we can find common ground when we look deep and remind ourselves of our humanity beyond politics. Our political opinions derive from our independent value system, moral compass, and personal experiences, which influence our behaviors and, naturally, who we support in this upcoming election. Find the overlaps where you share similar viewpoints, whether with mental health/addiction treatment, affordable housing, criminal justice reform, education policies, etc. Issues expressed are often not black and white, and it’s important to find the grey area within major concerns expressed to understand better why and how they impact others. We can bridge together and feel more connected as a community with common ground.
When finding common ground is impossible, we can still work toward boundary setting within tense conversations that feel cyclical or aggressive. Boundaries are designed to protect relationships and can be physical, emotional, time-oriented, or space-centered. Boundaries will reinforce trust and emotional safety when harsh emotions are being expressed. Setting a boundary when a heated conversation is escalating could include, “It feels like our talk is getting heated; I value our friendship and would like to talk about something different. How’s that new project you started in the basement?” or “I’m starting to feel overwhelmed with where our conversation is headed, I’m going to take a break and go for a walk. Maybe we can pick it up when I return in fifteen minutes.” Both of these boundaries highlight that the discussion is no longer feeling safe, and there is an intention to redirect or self-soothe with a coping strategy. In moments of high distress, gracefully exiting the conversation is often in everyone’s best interest, even if that means excusing yourself to go to the bathroom. When you honor your personal limits for political discussions, you maintain self-preservation. In any exit strategy, you also preserve the relationship with the person you’re discussing, demonstrating how much you value that relationship.
It is generally hoped that political conversations remain constructive and insightful and spread informative knowledge. To stay current on politics, exploring forums and diverse news outlets, attending events, or participating in support groups may be helpful. A large part of avoiding misinformation is being intentional with the media you consume and diversifying the information. Set an intention to engage mindfully in sources that may exclude polarizing content or expose yourself to news that is sensationalized. We all have personal beliefs that inform the policies we feel most aligned with and, ultimately, the candidate we support. Advocacy is integral to being involved in causes you support through campaigning, petitioning, spreading public awareness, or lobbying. The impact you can make in your community from advocacy can be a proactive way of redirecting tense emotions. When you lead openly, you encourage others to be honest in their political disclosure with less fear. Inherently, the resilience that forms will bring people together from all walks of life, fostering unity in what may presently feel like a tense political climate.
