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How to avoid politics at the dinner table?


MacinVic
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My only experiences with politics at the MDR table were on a RCL TA and all of our tablemates were Canadians who loved to bash America's politics and healthcare. Fortunately, we endured those conversations by not engaging. Another time was another TA that coincided with the 2012 election and the table was filled with Texans (ship left from Galveston). They avoided politics for a while until they found out our political leanings. We were from one of those states that turned the election. They mostly told great stories and didn't get into the tedious nature of politics.

 

I want to talk about travel and those topics.  The Texans were absolutely the best conversationalists I have met!

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Simply refuse to engage!  So easy.  We've  never had issues with tablemates....most conversation is "where are you from", "do you cruise much", "hey, do you play golf/tennis/etc..".....chatting about the food, or the weather, or our last port...

 

You can always say, "Sorry, I'm Canadian and have  no interest in your political views".  That should stop it.

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7 hours ago, japlanet said:

We are Canadian and the last time we made the mistake of agreeing to sit at shared table (I think for breakfast), the Americans at the table once finding out that I was a doctor would simply not give up talking about how the US healthcare system was so obviously superior to the Canadian one and how they can’t believe I would practice medicine in Canada when I could make so much more money in the US and blah blah blah.

 

We only take tables for two now (or four if we are travelling with friends). 

 

I've had similar experiences.  If an American denigrates our system my response is along the lines of, "No system will meet the needs of the entire population.  In ours people sometimes have to wait for treatment, most often in non-urgent cases.  In yours people are reduced to abject poverty, permanent disability or premature death because they cannot afford the unconscionable health-care insurance premiums required to pay exorbitant physician billings."  More often than not this typically ends the conversation. 🙂

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10 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

I do not understand why some are uncomfortable discussing politics, religion, or money.  Personally, I'm more than willing to enter into a discussion of those subjects.  

I will gladly discuss what ever but the problem comes when someone doesn’t want to discuss and listen to others ideas but instead wants to tell everyone why they should believe the same way as they do and not entertain others ideas. I have a FIL like this   It’s not enjoyable to discuss much with him 

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The basic problem is that nobody wants to discuss ideas but instead views differences of opinion as being ignorant and/or mean.  Sometimes on the last night, when we have become more acquainted with one another, it's safer.  It got bad my last trip when somebody who joined the table late brought up the 2016 presidential election within five minutes.  He assumed everyone at the table agreed with his viewpoint.  Once I answered that I supported President Trump the entire commaraderie was broken. 

 

Generally my table mates have, on the first night, agreed to steer clear of religion and politics as many people have a personal investment in both topics.  British citizens don't get to veto who Americans elect as our head of state and Americans don't get to tell the other side of the pond how to vote on Brexit.

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Is it that people hate discussing the idea of politics, or don't want to hear views that are opposite of theirs? If Conservative discussion is so bad that you don't want to cruise anymore, sorry to tell you that with the cruising demographic is older and more financially stable. That Conservative bomb can go off at any time.

 

For me, I just like requesting a table for my immediate group. As much as we enjoy talking to people around the ship, we don't want to risk being stuck with idiots for a week at dinner.

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I don’t mind discussing politics.  I use to have some very interesting fact based discussions with people with very different political views.  However recently, I have found many people who at one time offered rational positions that I differed with now just defend insanity with lies.  I enjoy talking politics with the McCain wing of the Republican party, but not the Trumpers.

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34 minutes ago, Texas Tillie said:

 

I thought shoplifter pants were what some call cargo pants with all the pockets in which to place the goodies.

 

Could be, but some folks get confused with all the pocket flaps and zippers.  :classic_rolleyes:

Edited by Philob
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15 minutes ago, kochleffel said:

 

I've lost weight recently. All of my pants are baggy.

 

Congrats on the weight loss:classic_smile:  A lot of my pants are baggy too.  I'm one of those in between sizes, too small=too tight:classic_dry:.  Next size up=too loose, but at least it won't look like it'll bust when I sit.:classic_rolleyes:   

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50 minutes ago, ed01106 said:

I don’t mind discussing politics.  I use to have some very interesting fact based discussions with people with very different political views.  However recently, I have found many people who at one time offered rational positions that I differed with now just defend insanity with lies.  I enjoy talking politics with the McCain wing of the Republican party, but not the Trumpers.

Of course, that essential distinction applies on both sides of the aisle - talking with Sen. Biden’s supporters seems to have a different flavor than a conversation with Rep. Waters’ supporters.

 

The fact is:  partisanship in politics has reached a level not experienced in many decades.

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9 hours ago, slidergirl said:

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO - Not the Franziskaner!!!  My Weissbier of choice!!!

 

How about some blood sausage to go with the beans?  

Here's some blood from a Vietnamese soup we had.  Yum.

 

pork blood.jpg

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There was a report of a gentleman who on the first night after everyone had joined the table said something like this: 'My name is xxx.xxx and passed out his card.  My wife and I have been on thirty plus cruises and we've decided that politics, religion, and money should not be topics of discussion.  So, those topics are unwanted at this table.'

 

I, being the kind of person I am, would have responded with something like this: 'Don't you think the Bible offers great advice on politics and finances?'  

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At this point of political divide in the US, I'd get up and leave if somebody from either side of the divide wouldn't stop trying to talk politics after being nicely asked to please change the subject. I don't care where we are in dinner service, I'd just leave. And ask to be put at a different table before dinner the following night.

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What makes me feel bad is the disrespect I see from some Americans and Canadians on this thread, branding nationalities instead of the individuals who are not the norm on either end. We are Alaskans now in Oregon and have enjoyed meeting Canadians all our lives, including roll calls and on cruises. I find it more comfortable to simply book a table for 2; we still end up with group tables sometimes and encourage non-divisive topics. There are so many interesting things to talk about if you enjoy larger tables and plenty of other venues to get acquainted with others if you choose to.

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5 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

A friend of mine once theorized that, at the time of the “Big Bang”, when everything in the universe came into being, there was a finite amount of intelligence, courtesy, and good taste created.  It is therefore obvious that, as the world’s population increases, the average person’s share of intelligence, courtesy and good taste must be lessened.

 

Why, oh why, did you have to bring up what Mary Cooper called a story made up by atheists? 😳

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50 minutes ago, CPT Trips said:

 

Why, oh why, did you have to bring up what Mary Cooper called a story made up by atheists? 😳

Aaah! The thing is, if you are reasonably intelligent and courteous, you should be able to discuss such things in the abstract - with no advocacy.  Things only get ugly when people want to sell their view on the topic, rather than discuss the topic itself objectively.  

 

For example, it is possible to have an intelligent conversation discussing the differences between limited immigration and open borders without getting into dispute.  It takes sufficient intelligence, courtesy and self discipline to consider both approaches - including the logical consequences involved.  The sad thing is that few people can put their own biases on the back burner long enough to learn about ideas different from their own.

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16 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

I hope you realize that you have injected personal political views into a discussion which  could have been much better conducted on a theoretical rather than personal level.

 

This sort of approach is really the root of the problem.

 

Funny that one side gets riled up over the very things they themselves do, when the other side does them.  

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15 hours ago, K32682 said:

Why not take an aggressive contrary position and have some fun?  "Frankly, I think Donald Trump is a quite suitable choice for a declining nation that is obsessed with guns, is wildly racist, tolerates the recurring mass slaughter of its citizens, claims to be devoutly religious but is the world's leading producer of hard core pornography."  Say it calmly and let the chips fall where they may. 

 

(Note to readers:  I do not ascribe to the above sentiments but use them as an example of how to contend with overbearing blowhards at dinner.) 🙂

 

Geez, dueling blowhards?  No thanks.

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4 hours ago, ed01106 said:

I don’t mind discussing politics.  I use to have some very interesting fact based discussions with people with very different political views.  However recently, I have found many people who at one time offered rational positions that I differed with now just defend insanity with lies.  I enjoy talking politics with the McCain wing of the Republican party, but not the Trumpers.

 

Considering that you were unable to restrain yourself from putting several  political hits into your post HERE, maybe it is YOU that is the problem.  

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