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I've realized recently that I subconsciously categorize people based on what I know about their political views, it's often the foremost thing I remember about them.
Like yesterday I saw a co-worker for the first time in several months and one of the first things I thought about was a memory of him making a right-leaning comment one time. It doesn't change the way I treat them, I can still be professional and even get along well with them, but it's always in the back of my mind, especially for people I know voted for Trump.
I know this probably isn't healthy and I feel like I should step away from following politics for a bit, but it seems impossible in this day and age.
I'm genuinely unsure if I could ever respect people with right wing beliefs, most of them just seem so categorically wrong to me. I avoid talking about politics at work so people don't know how left I am, but I can't help but judge them for it.
I feel kind of bad about it, but I don't know that it's something I can get past. Does anyone else feel the same way?

 

[George Oscar Bluth II]

When people support politics that represent some pretty horrible views, I think it's OK to judge.

 

[Anoregon]

People who support the current administration explicitly support racism, the destruction of the environment, people losing access to health care, and the funneling of even more money from the poor to the rich.

Of course I judge them.

 

[Mathieran]

I think it's fine to judge people based on their politics. The politics they align with tells you everything you need to know about how people/animals/the environment should be treated, how the economy should be run and other critical aspects about how the world should be.

I'm certainly at a point in my life where I don't think I could be friends with a republican. Maybe a moderate conservative, but that's it.

 

[QuantumBro]

What was this 'right-leaning' comment OP?

 

[Razorback]

Tribalism. Politics is the new Religion.

 

[azyless]

Why do you feel bad ? Judging people for their opinions is normal and healthy.
They're colleagues, just don't talk to them about anything but vapid stuff and forget about it.You don't have to be friends with them and you don't have to respect their opinions.

 

[KrellRell]

Political parties are too narrow, there is no way someone agrees with every policy/stance of a party. So hell no, don't judge anyone on anything until you talk to them. Judging people is what racism and bigotry are all about, eff that noise.

 

[DontBeThatGuy]

I would never do such a thing.

 

[entremet]

Everyone judges. We can't help it. I guess it depends on what you do with that.

 

[benicillin]

Politics are more heavily invested in social issues now than ever before, and your political leanings are shorthand for many moral and social beliefs - basically what you find important. Sorry but there are lots of great people in the world and I've got no time for folks who vote for racists and sexists just because they want a slightly larger tax return.

For the record, I also judge people for not voting.

 

[wenis]

You don't get to cherry pick your policies if you support this current administration. You're actively choosing to indirectly tell every minority, woman and being on this planet that they ain't shit and would rather see them and everyone they know dead than do anything good or moral and just for this planet.

So judge away.

 

[mullet2000]

Politics isn't separate from their personality or who they are.

It's literally a real-world manifestation of how they think of others and how they balance personal gain vs. helping others.

If someone votes for a person or policy that screws over people less fortunate than them I'm judging that hard.

 

[GuessMyUserName]

Political parties are too narrow, there is no way someone agrees with every policy/stance of a party. So hell no, don't judge anyone on anything until you talk to them. Judging people is what racism and bigotry are all about, eff that noise.

Uhhhhh pretty big difference between judging people for how they're born and judging people for the views they hold / decisions they make. Really shouldn't be comparing them at all.

 

[Skellig Gra]

If you can look in the mirror, judge yourself, and find that you are a better person than them by all means judge away.

 

[Eumi]

Personally putting people into categories based on political affiliation is a really lazy way of dealing with people, especially in systems with few viable parties. The nicest guy I know votes Tory, I have family friends that voted for Brexit, but theyre still good people. On the other hand, I know people who are politically identical to them but voted that way because they're racist pieces of shit.

I mean it's a little different in America since your country is fucked up beyond belief and voting Republican is literally voting for the party who wants to directly kill people, but at least in Britain (for now) I still haven't felt the need to write off anyone entirely based on their political beliefs. Although part of that may be because anyone I know who votes UKIP is someone I wrote off a long time ago.

 

[Shadynasty]

I've judged people for lesser things. You're okay OP.

 

[You Are Viewtiful]

What did he say? This sounds unhealthy. People will disagree with you, that's just how life is. No one has all the answers.

Now, if he said something hateful then that's something else.

 

[MotionBlue]

I've realized recently that I subconsciously categorize people based on what I know about their political views, it's often the foremost thing I remember about them.
Like yesterday I saw a co-worker for the first time in several months and one of the first things I thought about was a memory of him making a right-leaning comment one time. It doesn't change the way I treat them, I can still be professional and even get along well with them, but it's always in the back of my mind, especially for people I know voted for Trump.
I know this probably isn't healthy and I feel like I should step away from following politics for a bit, but it seems impossible in this day and age.
I'm genuinely unsure if I could ever respect people with right wing beliefs, most of them just seem so categorically wrong to me. I avoid talking about politics at work so people don't know how left I am, but I can't help but judge them for it.
I feel kind of bad about it, but I don't know that it's something I can get past. Does anyone else feel the same way?

Nuance is important. What was his comment? The context? Being a partisan ideologue is a bad thing.

 

[Planx]

Political parties are too narrow, there is no way someone agrees with every policy/stance of a party. So hell no, don't judge anyone on anything until you talk to them. Judging people is what racism and bigotry are all about, eff that noise.

There's a difference between judging someone because they were born looking different than yourself and judging someone because the last politically oriented thing they read was Ayn Rand when they were 16

 

[Toxi]

Politics isn't separate from their personality or who they are.

It's literally a real-world manifestation of how they think of others and how they balance personal gain vs. helping others.

If someone votes for a person or policy that screws over people less fortunate than them I'm judging that hard.

Yeah, the idea that you can be separated from the decisions you make puzzles me.

 

[Koomaster]

Perfectly acceptable to judge these people and ignore them going forward. We're always judging who we associate with for various things that are important to us. Politics is a huge one and I feel more than comfortable writing people with right leaning beliefs out of my life. There's really no reason to waste time on them imo. As for these people as coworkers, if it's not work related, don't even talk to me.

 

[KrellRell]

There's a difference between judging someone because they were born looking different than yourself and judging someone because the last politically oriented thing they read was Ayn Rand when they were 16

I understand there is a difference, but that doesn't make either right.

 

[Waylon Drums]

I'm a gay person. If someone supports a party/politician that wants to screw with my life, I judge them. Harshly. They may not have an issue with gay people themselves, but they're willing to support people who do and that's enough for me.

 

[Linkyn]

It helps if the majority of your political parties have overall sensible policies. Regardless of which candidates family members or friends vote for, I know they won't be pro-life or climate change deniers or creationists or blatant racists / sexists / homophobes. Within that context, elections become less about deciding what the problems that need to be tackled are and more about how to solve them.

 

[One Eyed Willy]

I know Democrats, I know Republicans. I associate with all of them and all of them are sane, well balanced normal people who simply differ in political beliefs. I too am a sane, well balanced normal human so I just agree to disagree and don't resort to name calling, or stereotyping.

I've met rabid extremists on either end of the spectrum. I've been called names, but my general belief is all of these people are just miserable on the inside and project that outwards. Afterall, misery loves company.

 

[Morrigan Stark]

Not all political beliefs are equal. It's probably not fair to judge someone harshly if you disagree on tax policy, but when the political beliefs involve civil rights -- yeah, fuck anyone who would deny people their basic rights, or who minimize the real problems people face (e.g. "racism is over, BLM is useless!").

At this point in time, if anyone still identifies as a Republican, I consider them to be scum. If you see what's happening and you still support a party so actively dedicated to evil, then no, you aren't just having "different political opinions" -- you are at best, a useful idiot for evil scumbags, or you are one yourself.

 

[Soapbox Killer]

Its like judging someone based on their football team.

 

[Dreams-Visions]

I judge every person I see with a Trump bumper sticker.

Its like judging someone based on their football team.

This would make sense if politics only existed for entertainment and didn't directly impact lives and freedoms.

 

[Aaronrules380]

Its like judging someone based on their football team.

except you know, one is a goddamn sports team and the other is a set of beliefs and principles that relate to things as important as civil rights

 

[GreekWolf]

Tribalism. Politics is the new Religion.

It really is. All one needs to do is to let it be known that they support a particular party (it doesn't matter which) and they will instanteously become "the enemy" to certain inidivduals.

At my company, we have a zero tolerance policy for discussing politics for this very reason. Best decision we've ever made.

 

[Condom]

It's a reflection of who someone is so I don't see the issue.

 

[Slayven]

Depends on the belief

world of difference between

"I believe in a flat tax"= Ok whatever

vs

"Stop and frisk is a good thing" =Fuck you and the horse you rode in on

 

[wisdom0wl]

People's values and beliefs shape their political leanings, and it's pretty hard to separate that. It's ok to judge. Subscribe to shit views then I have zero problem with viewing them as a shit person

 

[PlayALLtheGames]

People who support the current administration explicitly support racism, the destruction of the environment, people losing access to health care, and the funneling of even more money from the poor to the rich.

Of course I judge them.

Seriously.

Not only is it OK to judge someone for their political views and for whom they support/vote, it should be fucking encouraged.

If you vote for a racist guy, that's the same thing as telling someone, "I'm ok with racism" or worse, "I'm a racist." If you vote for a woman who says she doesn't "support a livable wage", that's the same thing as telling someone, "I'm ok with screwing the less fortunate." Would you judge someone who told you that? Of course you would.

I understand like having a friend in high school or maybe even college who is a right-wing fuckhead and it's not a big deal because you're young and don't give a shit about politics perhaps, but once you grow up it's time to judge and judge hard.

I also believe it's perfectly fine to distance or disconnect yourself from people entirely for this reason. If you support pieces of shit, you too are a piece of shit and I want nothing to do with you, regardless of our past or whether you're a relative (thankfully I have not had to do this except for a couple of friends from high school).

 

[anaron]

It's a reflection of who someone is so I don't see the issue.

Yup.

This shit affects people's lives so why wouldn't I judge you for actively voting against basic human decency?

 

[GuessMyUserName]

I understand there is a difference, but that doesn't make either right.

Is it right to judge members of the many nazi parties? Just political differences, right?

 

[Condom]

Depends on the belief

world of difference between

"I believe in a flat tax"= Ok whatever

vs

"Stop and frisk is a good thing" =Fuck you and the horse you rode in on

Flat tax is just as disgusting if not worse in quantity of people affected.

 

[sphagnum]

Politics reflect what a person believes and their values. It's not wrong to judge someone based on that.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

Politics are inherently judgmental. For example, people who don't believe in gay marriage or gay adoption are explicitly telling me that my parents should not have been allowed to raise me. That's a personal judgment against my upbringing. And if you're going to make those kinds of personal judgments against my family, then I will feel free to tell you that you can fuck off and die. I don't have time to pander to people who think my life was a mistake.

 

[Sephzilla]

People who openly support politicians Trump should be judged in my opinion.

 

[uncleniccius]

Its like judging someone based on their football team.

Unless the football team you support is representative of your world view it isn't quite the same.

I am friends with people with vastly different beliefs, and accept most, but there are some views that really do bother me. Particularly on race and that kind of stuff.

And as below, people get judged for the way they look and the way they talk.. You have some agency over politics at least.

 

[smokeandmirrors]

I mean it's perfectly natural. You can't separate the politics from the person

 

[br3wnor]

I judge the fuck out of people for stuff a hell of lot less consequential than their political leanings so for sure I judge others based on their politics.

Granted, it's changed a bit since Trump. When I find out someone supports Trump or voted for Trump they fall to 'piece of shit' status for me pretty quickly and I genuinely discount them as being a serious person, but if I find out someone is just Republican or conservative it doesn't have a huge effect on my initial thoughts of them. Have a pretty good friend who's staunchly Republican and we get along great, partly because he's a never Trumper though.

 

[Shamrock7r]

I think it's fair to make political leanings as a major factor in judging someone, but I am always careful to judge that category from a surface level unless they are in some way boasting or brandishing those leanings in some way.

I have a few conservative friends who mean well and are good people, and have met many others like that, so I can never be to quick to judge in that regard.

 

[MotionBlue]

Is it right to judge members of the many nazi parties? Just political differences, right?

It took 37 posts before the thread was Godwin'd.

 

[boiled goose]

Totally fine to judge based on religious or political beliefs

The truth is, if you're "conservative"

Your either:
Misinformed
Ignorant
Racist
Not good at critical thinking
Selfish/greedy

Or some combination.

Now, maybe you shouldn't judge which of these till you have more info, but those are the options

 

[kamineko]

It depends. I don't think things like racism, misogyny, xenophobia, and homophobia are ok. When beliefs actively harm someone, it's hard to just act like somebody's talking about their favorite ice cream flavor or whatever. Unless it doesn't affect you, of course.

I guess if there's a disagreement over, like, zoning codes and sidewalks, that could be different. Though honestly sidewalks benefit poor people more than affluent people. In most political issues, there is both somebody getting burned as well as somebody who benefits.

At work, you have to get along with folks. I usually just tell people we'll get through the day easier if we stop talking about "mexican immigrant rapists" or whatever the hell some idiot is talking about. I usually will let people know I don't agree without turning it into a big shit show at work.

I like nuance, but most of this stuff isn't really nuanced. These aren't conversations about the Federalist Papers

 

[KrellRell]

Is it right to judge members of the many nazi parties? Just political differences, right?

Could be, impossible to tell without talking to them. Who knows what they believe, how they ended up there, what has happened to them, shit they've been through. I don't advocate judging anyone for anything. I'm no saint, I judge people all the time, something I'm working on. Not everyone has had the same upbringing or have been given the same opportunities and tools to deal with life. Judging people isn't going to help the situation.

 

[You Are Viewtiful]

Flat tax is just as disgusting if not worse in quantity of people affected.

I personally don't believe in flat taxes, but some people believe in them because they think it's good for the economy which will in turn help the most vulnerable. It doesn't mean that they're evil, and you shouldn't be so quick to judge.

Totally fine to judge based on religious or political beliefs

The truth is, if you're "conservative"

Your either:
Misinformed
Ignorant
Racist
Not good at critical thinking
Selfish/greedy

Or some combination.

Now, maybe you shouldn't judge which of these till you have more info, but those are the options

I just don't see how you can be so convinced that you're right and everyone else is wrong. Have you never been wrong about anything before?