Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhy Political Talk Can Be StressfulThe Impact of the 2016 ElectionEffects of Social MediaTips for Discussing Politics on Facebook

Table of ContentsView All

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Table of Contents

Why Political Talk Can Be Stressful

The Impact of the 2016 Election

Effects of Social Media

Tips for Discussing Politics on Facebook

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Do you ever get tired of political posts on Facebook? Everyone has one—that Facebook friend who posts obnoxious and sometimes offensive political statements, articles, and memes every day, multiple times a day. You know—that friend with a strong opinion about anything and everything political.

The increased negativity in political discussions is one reasons why many people are increasing tired of seeing political posts on Facebook and other social media sites. Civil discussions can be an opportunity to learn more about other people’s experiences and opinions as long as they occur at the right time and place.

At a GlanceFeeling sick of all the hostility, name-calling, and bullying is normal. Patience can help (up to a point), but you may find that you need to scan, ignore, move on, or sometimes even block certain posters who just can’t seem to keep their conversations polite.

At a Glance

Feeling sick of all the hostility, name-calling, and bullying is normal. Patience can help (up to a point), but you may find that you need to scan, ignore, move on, or sometimes even block certain posters who just can’t seem to keep their conversations polite.

Why Discussing Politics on Facebook Can Be Stressful

Even if you agree with their political views, you cringe at the inflammatory way they state their opinions. If you find yourself in this situation, you are not alone. In fact, unfriending someone for their political views is fairly common.

This fact should not be surprising. Civility in politics has been decreasing for a long time, and many people seem to be losing patience with the rhetoric.

Much of this increase inonline bullying, shaming, and political bullying has to do with the changing culture and the ability to insult others on the Internet. These insults are often made through the use of blogs, social media, and more.

Consequently, it is not surprising that people have become much freer with their use of words. This has become painfully apparent in recent years as religious and political disagreements become more and more volatile.

While many people have embraced the freedom that social media provides, just as many are simply fed up.

While research suggested that negativity had been on the decline in the years before the 2016 election, the divisive political race appears to have become a turning point in the tone of U.S. politics.During the 2016 election, both candidates engaged in name-calling and other bullying tactics.

For instance, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton called people who supported the Republican presidential nominee “deplorables,” and said they were irredeemable. Meanwhile, Trump labeled Clinton a “nasty woman” and called her “Crooked Hillary.”

A 2023 study concluded that the tone of U.S. politics became more negative during the 2016 campaigns.The study involved analyzing the tone of 24 million quotes attributed to U.S. politicians during the 2016 election.

RecapThere is no doubt that the campaigning and debates in 2016 ignited tempers, unlike any other presidential race, has done. And while there has always been some mudslinging during elections, the 2016 election was much more volatile, much more personal.

Recap

There is no doubt that the campaigning and debates in 2016 ignited tempers, unlike any other presidential race, has done. And while there has always been some mudslinging during elections, the 2016 election was much more volatile, much more personal.

How Social Media Has Affected Political Discourse

Many believe that passionate disagreements are far more prevalent because of the ease and influence of social media. Moreover, social media empowers people to say things they would never say to someone’s face. Much of this concerns the fact that they can hide behind a computer screen.

As a result, during the election season, people on social media were not just ranting about how much they disliked the candidates. In many cases, they also took it a step further.

They also ranted about how much they disliked anyone who might support an opposing candidate, often engaging in name-calling, shaming, labeling, and sometimes even threats of violence. It was cyberbullying at its worst.

And while most would argue that people have a right to speak their minds, is bullying through social media really free speech? Most would argue that, in some ways, the mean-spirited posts, the labeling, and the name-calling actually silence free speech.

It creates a hostile political climate where people avoid saying what they really think for fear of being judged or labeled.​

Research suggests that self-censorship has increased in recent years. Many worry that sharing unpopular opinions will alienate others and lead to social isolation.

Additionally, when people do not talk about their views or why they believe a certain way, they start tomake assumptionsabout what others believe. This often causes them to think that they are being judged. They also assume that people are displeased with them or disagree with them.

Yet, they have never talked about what they genuinely believe or asked why their friends believe the way they do. As a result, there is a lot of hostility andfrustrationbased solely on assumptions.

Why People Share Political PostsSo why are people so eager to share their pressing political opinions in such a public way? Political discussionsdohave the power to shift opinions, and people may feel more compelled to share their opinions (and attempt to change the minds of others) when they think that the subject is morally urgent.It’s why hot-button, often controversial issues often draw more attention than topics that are likely to affect your day-to-day life.

Why People Share Political Posts

So why are people so eager to share their pressing political opinions in such a public way? Political discussionsdohave the power to shift opinions, and people may feel more compelled to share their opinions (and attempt to change the minds of others) when they think that the subject is morally urgent.It’s why hot-button, often controversial issues often draw more attention than topics that are likely to affect your day-to-day life.

If you are someone that would rather see posts about a person’s dinner than their monologue about a political candidate, here are some sure-fire ways to navigate the lack ofdigital etiquetteon Facebook without losing your sanity.

Take a Minute

When it comes to social media, it is easy to fire off a response before you really think about it. Resist the urge to react instead of respond. Slow down and take a minute. Scroll past the post and read something else. The goal is to avoid posting something equally inflammatory and then later regretting it.

Remember, even if you delete your comment later, you can never truly make it go away. So put on the brakes.

A thoughtful response, or even no response at all, is a much better approach in the long run.

Ask Why

Not only does asking why allow for greater understanding, but it also broadens your own perspective. Just be sure to ask in a way that doesn’t put your friend on the defensive.

You don’t want them to feel like they have to justify their feelings to you. Instead, keep the focus on the issues.

A lot of interpretation is lost online. It is risky to assume you know what someone is feeling when all you have to go on are a few typed words.

If you do not understand why a friend feels so strongly, ask them. Find out how this impacts their life. Sometimes it helps to view the world through a different lens.

Sometimes the best way to deal with cringe-worthy political posts is to simply scan through them and move on, especially if the post is simply a rant laced with name-calling and labeling. An even better option is to ignore them altogether.

Remember, you cannot control what your Facebook friend posts online. And you probably won’t be able to change their mind or even get them to see your side of things. But you can control how you respond.

If reading their posts irritates you, ruins your day, or causes you anxiety, then it is healthier for you to ignore them. Do not allow another person’s blanket bullying statements to impact you and your day.

Utilize the Hide or Block Options

Fortunately, Facebook offers some options for dealing with the deluge of political bullying that takes place online. One option is to “hide” or snooze your friend. With this option, you remain friends but you no longer see their posts in your newsfeed.

Many people appreciate this option because they do not want the drama of unfriending someone online, but they also do not want to see their blatantly inappropriate posts any longer, either.

Of course, the other option is to unfriend the person and even block them from friending you again. This option should only be used in extreme cases where you no longer hope to have contact or a relationship with the person.

It is very hard to salvage a friendship once you have unfriended or blocked them on Facebook.

Remember Who You’re Dealing With

If you are friends with this person online, chances are you have some sort of relationship with the person. So when you see something that is unsettling, take a step back and look at the big picture.

Is your friend going through a tough time right now? Could these political posts have something to do with a bigger issue in their life?

Try to beempatheticand remember why you are friends with this person in the first place. However, if your friend’s political views define who they are is as a person and it gets under your skin, you have some evaluating to do. Is this person atoxic friendthat you should avoid, or is theirfriendship worth an effort?

Set Some Limits

If you find yourself getting too worked up about other people’s political posts and subtle bullying online, it might be a good idea to take a break. You need to protect yourself from the negative feelings these posts create in you. As a result, you may want to limit the time you spend on Facebook or take a break from it altogether.

Or maybe the answer is to avoid engaging in any political discussions online.

Check Your Answers

Remember, there are a lot of unsubstantiated articles and information online. Make sure that if you do post a response to a political post, your post is factual and can be verified.

You don’t want to contribute to the plethora of misinformation andconspiracy theoriesthat are floating around on Facebook. Ensure that your post is factual, accurate, and not offensive.

Remember that your goal should become a conscientious poster, not just someone who shares sensationalized stories because of their shock value.

The last thing you want to do is to become just like your obnoxiously political friend. After all, you need to protect your online reputation.

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9 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Rainie L, Smith A.Social networking sites and politics. Pew Research Center. 2012.

Pew Research Center.Public highly critical of state of political discourse in the U.S.

Külz J, Spitz A, Abu-Akel A, Günnemann S, West R.United States politicians' tone became more negative with 2016 primary campaigns.Sci Rep. 2023;13(1):10495. doi:10.1038/s41598-023-36839-1

Smirnova M.Small hands, nasty women, and bad hombres: hegemonic masculinity and humor in the 2016 presidential election.Socius. 2018;4:237802311774938. doi:10.1177/2378023117749380

Olaniran B, Williams I.Social media effects: Hijacking democracy and civility in civic engagement.Platforms, Protests, and the Challenge of Networked Democracy. 2020;77-94. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-36525-7_5

Menzner J, Traunmüller R.Subjective freedom of speech: Why do citizens think they cannot speak freely?Polit Vierteljahresschr. 2023;64(1):155-181. doi:10.1007/s11615-022-00414-6

Gibson JL, Sutherland JL.Keeping your mouth shut: Spiraling self-censorship in the United States.Political Science Quarterly. 2023;138(3):361-376. doi:10.1093/psquar/qqad037

Eriksson K, Vartanova I, Strimling P.How does political discussion frequency impact political moral opinions? The moral argument theory of opinion dynamics.Front Psychol. 2022;13:915252. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.915252

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