You’re on a great date – maybe even the second or third one – and suddenly she blurts out something you can’t believe: she’s voting for them. How can two people that seem so compatible have such different views? Are you wrong to be worried about this?
Not at all, actually. The political climate is growing more heated with every election, and it’s only natural it can have an impact on your dating life. For a lot of people political differences are a deal breaker but if you want to make it work, here are some tips.
Focus on Issues, Not People
When you’re arguing politics don’t focus on your date, focus on the issues. Argue for your side and not against their side. This is a lot easier said than done, and it is a subtle art, but making a person your target only makes them angry. Focus on the issue and keep it civil.
Who's Calling Me?
Search any phone number to learn more about the owner!
Don’t Try to Change Their Ideas
This won’t work, and it will just make them upset. Don’t try to change their ideas, don’t even try to win arguments. Stand up for what you believe in, but be open to debate and open to changing your own mind.
Listen and Act
Listen to what your date is saying and try to see the issue from their point of view. Once you listen, do something about it. Let your date know you really care about their views even if you can’t share them. This goes a long way to reaching a compromise.
Let the Small Stuff Go
Pick your battles. If you’re serious about dating your political opposite this is crucial advice because not every fight is worth the cost of winning. Choosing what to argue over will also help you explore your own political ideas and figure out which ones really matter to you.
Don’t Let the Big Stuff Go
When you do find what those big issues are, do not back down. Be respectful but stand your ground and defend your ideas. This will show your date you are serious, that you have a backbone, and that you care enough about them to be honest even if it is a bit painful.
Learn to Compromise
If it is going to work you have to compromise. Maybe that means you make politics a forbidden topic. Maybe it means agree to disagree. When you compromise, you’ll learn important lessons about how to find happiness and how to maintain it.
Meet the Other Side
Be open to meeting people from the other side of the aisle, not just your date. Their family, friends, and social circle may be more aligned with your date’s political ideas than your own. Who knows, maybe you’ll meet some great new friends.
Dating your political opposite isn’t easy in this in-your-face political climate, but it can be done. If you give it a shot, you may develop a deeper, happier relationship than a couple with more things in common.