Topic: Liberal's Survival Guide to Conservative Coworkers (Read 11995 times)

McDohl · « **on:** April 28, 2009, 09:08:18 AM »

I'm the only liberal in an all-conservative work center.

Help.

NOTE TO MY COWORKERS WHO HAVE TAKEN TO LURKING: You're all a bunch of gays, and you're all in third grade.

Royal☭ · « **Reply #1 on:** April 28, 2009, 09:10:50 AM »

You have an edge because you are a liberal who was also in the military.

McDohl · « **Reply #2 on:** April 28, 2009, 09:14:18 AM »

Everyone else has been in the military. I fail to see how this gives me a leg up.

Royal☭ · « **Reply #3 on:** April 28, 2009, 09:17:04 AM »

Nobody ever expects liberals to have served time. So you have that whole "Willing to sacrifice for my country" angle that so many love to trot out. Your best advice, though, is to try not to focus on politics. At all. You'll probably get along fine as long as you just kind of nod your head and don't say anything when the subject comes up.

Kazz · « **Reply #4 on:** April 28, 2009, 09:20:31 AM »

Don't enter a debate. Just politely excuse yourself from any political conversation.

Even if someone is totally, one hundred percent entirely wrong about something, control your urge to confront them about it. Let it slide. You can not "fix" them. No good will come from fighting about it.

If you're confronted, just let them know you're not interested in talking about it. You may say you "agree to disagree" but I find that trite; I'd prefer to say that "we're not going to change each other's minds."

Wear your prinny hat frequently.

McDohl · « **Reply #5 on:** April 28, 2009, 09:20:55 AM »

So, here's my angle on it.

Everyone here seems to believe that Obama's doing a shit job, judging his entire administration to be a failure based on 100 days.

Never mind that a lot of this shit started before he was even a blip on the radar.

They DO have something of a point though. Obama was pretty much under the radar until his campaign.

Anyway, since we've all served in the military, that puts us on level ground for that sort of thing.

Do I have a reason to curl up and eat crow from these people?

Kazz · « **Reply #6 on:** April 28, 2009, 09:22:23 AM »

You won't convince them that Obama's doing a good job. Don't try. You really have to let it go.

Brentai · « **Reply #7 on:** April 28, 2009, 09:23:26 AM »

Dohl... who cares?

McDohl · « **Reply #8 on:** April 28, 2009, 09:24:27 AM »

Because I have to spend a significant portion of my day with these people, if only for the reason that I enjoy having a roof over my head and food to eat and video games to play.

Mongrel · « **Reply #9 on:** April 28, 2009, 09:27:10 AM »

Also, there's the prospect of the worst-case scenario: If they're bad enough, a few of them have root issues with Obama have nothing to do with what he's done and everything to do with who and what he is.

That's not a fight you'll win. More importantly, that's not something you even want to discover a hint of.

Arc · « **Reply #10 on:** April 28, 2009, 09:29:41 AM »

Mock them.

Openly.

They'll never know.

Ted Belmont · « **Reply #11 on:** April 28, 2009, 09:31:55 AM »

Quote from: Killjoy on April 28, 2009, 09:27:10 AM

Also, there's the prospect of the worst-case scenario: If they're bad enough, a few of them have root issues with Obama have nothing to do with what he's done and everything to do with who and what he is.

That's not a fight you'll win. More importantly, that's not something you even want to discover a hint of.

Like so.

Brentai · « **Reply #12 on:** April 28, 2009, 09:33:53 AM »

Agree with them on the whole, or at least pretend to, and disagree on whatever specific points you disagree with if you must. Most people, no matter how they've been raised, will be willing to have a thoughtful discussion on individual points as long as they don't perceive you as being in an adversarial opposite-team position.

I'll let you guys come up with the obvious TF2 jokes here.

McDohl · « **Reply #13 on:** April 28, 2009, 09:42:20 AM »

Hopefully, this will be a temporary countermeasure to dodge the goobers until looking at these forums falls out of vogue.

Arc · « **Reply #14 on:** April 28, 2009, 09:47:44 AM »

Sorry, not agreeing with the 'pretending is fun' proposal.

In all of my conversations with The Lost, they are either ideologically opposed, or devoid of the facts. Not my facts, I mean facts in general. Basic, one liner facts that shutdown their entire point of view.

Example: Teabaggers. Protesting the already passed stimulus, and the inherent taxes within.
Fact: The stimulus provided 95% of American workers with tax cuts.

Cuts.

CUTS.

:huge: CUTS!

... Post some their views and arguments. I'm hungry.

McDohl · « **Reply #15 on:** April 28, 2009, 09:58:57 AM »

I don't know, Arc. These guys seem to be under the impression that all this is gearing toward socialism. Taking money from the rich and redistributing the wealth.

Kazz · « **Reply #16 on:** April 28, 2009, 10:03:19 AM »

Arc is wrong. Don't fight them. Keep your damned head down if you want to be happy. Secretly wear earplugs if you seriously can't help yourself from rageface.

Arc · « **Reply #17 on:** April 28, 2009, 10:05:24 AM »

Quote from: Bandit Keith on April 28, 2009, 09:58:57 AM

I don't know, Arc. These guys seem to be under the impression that all this is gearing toward socialism. Taking money from the rich and redistributing the wealth.

Oh, well then they are informed.

Just start secretly sketching baguettes and berets on napkins and doors.

Their paranoia will eat them alive within the week.

Transportation · « **Reply #18 on:** April 28, 2009, 10:14:48 AM »

You should debate them if keeping quiet is more frustrating than not. If they're as far gone as you say, this will be for personal enjoyment more than anything else. Any deconverted would be a fringe benefit; you'll get too frustrated if that's your goal.

For example, at one job I worked at a religious nursing home. I didn't really talk much as their conversations were more bewildering than frustrating.

Also, it struck me as tad too futile to try to reason with people who thought women can't wear pants because God told them to.

yyler · « **Reply #19 on:** April 28, 2009, 10:17:53 AM »

Pretend you are too stupid for politics. Hell, pretend you're too stupid for most things. They'll think any work you do is amazing and might bake you things.

News:

Author Topic: Liberal's Survival Guide to Conservative Coworkers (Read 11995 times)