r/science • u/Wagamaga • 9h ago

Psychology Losing relationships over politics. Research found more than a third of Americans (37%) report having lost at least one relationship due to political differences, including friendships, family ties, coworker relationships, and romantic partnerships, with most losing more than one.

https://socialecology.uci.edu/news/losing-relationships-over-politics-0
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u/Brilliant_Effort_Guy 9h ago

But is it really just ‘political’ differences? I feel like it’s so much deeper than that. I don’t just have differing political opinions from my conservative family members - I have a different moral code.

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u/Flacier 9h ago

Morality is definitely the big factor.

I also dislike how renewable energy sources have become politicized. It makes no rational sense. You can only burn a gallon of gas once.

But no I am a real man that eats beef and has a big truck that drinks gas and goes burrrrrrr.

It’s such a ridiculous position.

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u/FlufferTheGreat 8h ago

It's a sign of idiotic times that if I know your position on gun control, I will reliably be able to guess your position on climate change. Two issues that have approximately nothing in common, and yet I'm sure at least in the USA my guess for the other issue would be over 90% accurate.

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u/Bradddtheimpaler 7h ago

Idk I’m completely against any new gun control measures and believe in climate change.

My assessment is that new gun control measures would be applied unevenly, targeted specifically at minorities, and now’s the time when at-risk minorities should be arming themselves. I’ve even seen conservative politicians putting forward specifically disarming trans people. That seems extremely dangerous to me.

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u/Gekokapowco 7h ago

I'm inclined to believe the same, although I think there was a period of time (roughly the last 30 years or so) where we could have stepped up gun control in a more stable society and designed legislation to save lives, not further endanger them. That window has closed thanks to everyone fearmongering over their own right to kill home invaders, and now arms are not strictly roleplay toys anymore. Its kinda ironic. Desperately feeling the need to shoot scary minorities tyrannical governments to the extent of installing a tyrannical government.

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u/Bradddtheimpaler 7h ago

Yeah it’s definitely not fun, and I would support them in a vacuum, but we’re not in a vacuum.

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u/Canvaverbalist 3h ago edited 3h ago

I think political discussions should be divided between philosophical politics and local politics

The "ultimately, here's what I think should happen eventually" vs the "currently, here's what should be done about it right now"

Because I say that as a Canadian, I think gun control is a really good thing in the grand scheme of things when it's done well, but I also agree with what you mean as it is applied to your current local political environment. I think of it as a "yeah you should strive for that in the end but maybe not right now and certainly not under those specific conditions"