Things started to get into sus territory, but I quickly changed the subject. All went well.
That’s usually how I deal with family gatherings, they know I’m more to the left of them so I try to change the subject when things get political, lest I make an ass of myself and just be the lefty strawman.
For anyone dreading Christmas dinner, if changing the subject fails this is my foolproof way to deal with reactionary family members:
No really, try to change the subject as if you’re bored of it. Look around the room as if to communicate “can we please discuss something else?”
If badgered, say “yeah I am more left-wing, but let’s not get into it now, we can discuss some other time.”
If you’re cornered, never play up the progressive angle, play up the nice angle. “It’s Christmas, can’t we just be nice even to people we disagree with for just a few days?”
This is the Super Saiyan form for these discussion: “why are you bringing politics into Christmas?”
I sincerely do love Christmas, but I have the stereotypical conservative activist family members who have gloated a lot during thanksgiving over Trump winning and did the same for Christmas eve and I’m assuming Christmas day as well.
Things started to get into sus territory, but I quickly changed the subject. All went well.
That’s usually how I deal with family gatherings, they know I’m more to the left of them so I try to change the subject when things get political, lest I make an ass of myself and just be the lefty strawman.
For anyone dreading Christmas dinner, if changing the subject fails this is my foolproof way to deal with reactionary family members:
No really, try to change the subject as if you’re bored of it. Look around the room as if to communicate “can we please discuss something else?”
If badgered, say “yeah I am more left-wing, but let’s not get into it now, we can discuss some other time.”
If you’re cornered, never play up the progressive angle, play up the nice angle. “It’s Christmas, can’t we just be nice even to people we disagree with for just a few days?”
This is the Super Saiyan form for these discussion: “why are you bringing politics into Christmas?”
I sincerely do love Christmas, but I have the stereotypical conservative activist family members who have gloated a lot during thanksgiving over Trump winning and did the same for Christmas eve and I’m assuming Christmas day as well.
Sounds like you're just rarionalizing trauma and not actively enforcing boundaries because your family doesn't respect them.
This is why it pays to know the family dirt.
"Haha yeah, you all got me. But hey, at least I'm not out getting a third DUI like Uncle Frank, right Frank? finger guns