Beyond the Ballot Box
- medievaltimes
- Apr 16
- 3 min read
By Emilio Lopez
Politics. We all know about the tensions that arise whenever you’re asked about your political standing, but is that tension genuinely warranted? With the election at its end, how many people voted and rooted for this year has already been revealed. I, along with many friends, have witnessed friendships crumble under political differences, and I want to speak out on it. Politics should never overpower the bond between friends.
“Scrutinizing someone else's value in your life based on their personal political views is antithetical to solid friendships,” says renowned psychologist, Dr. Todd B. Kashdan in the article, “Why Are You Rethinking Friendships Because of Politics?.” Friendships were never meant to be built on the foundation of politics!
The bond between years of friendship combines trust, humor, reliability, and so much more. The fact that people can last so long in a bond like that before politics come into play makes you wonder if cutting someone off for it is necessary. Thinking twice before completely disregarding a friendship for political views is essential.
There is also the fact that many people don’t simply side with a candidate because they fully agree with their agenda. Both candidates have their downs and both have their ups. While some people may see it at face value and vote because of what they see, or some may dig deeper and vote for what they found, it’s essential to respect the decisions one makes.
No one person is the same; we all think differently and do things differently. You can attempt to convince someone to switch their standing, but is that really fair to them? Forcing someone to abide by your ideology simply because of what you believe is far more unreasonable.
Arguments and feuds arise from this controversial topic between friends. Some people may claim that political ideology directly defines a person's character, but I find that to be completely false and even insulting. Believing that one's standing completely reflects one's personality is an insult to your friend's values.
In the article, “How to Avoid Losing Friends Over Politics, “by Rena Goldman, Dr. Jennifer Litner states that you should “communicate effectively with a friend who has different political views.” True friendships bloom when you can respect each other's decisions and standings, and this fact is evident in every friendship, even when unrelated to politics.
People evolve mentally and emotionally, and you just simply can’t overlook that. All people change their views in life, whether it’s for things as small and trivial as enjoying ketchup or ranch more, or for more serious things like being pro-choice or not. It’s critical to a friendship’s longevity to grasp that your friend is capable of changing, or that you are also capable of changing. We can’t predict the future either, your siding in the election could do more harm than good, or perform just as badly as the other, simply giving something time can do wonders.
Friendships are about more than just political alignment. They’re built and revolve around the foundational qualities that you share, such as respect, trust, and most importantly, understanding.
Even if politics sometimes divide your bonds, it shouldn’t be the final nail in the coffin for whether a friendship continues. Rather than letting your political views dictate you and your friendships, it’s more impactful that you come to broaden your lens on what other values your friendship revolves around.
As we grow as people and as friends, mutual understanding is absolutely essential to make your friendship endure, even through petty or serious arguments you may have. Realize that it’s not the views that break the friendship, it’s the perspective you view it from.