Ranty Friday — The Election

I am sick of the Election already.  And that’s why it is Ranty Friday this week.  Actually it isn’t the election I am sick of, it is other people insisting their view on politics is the only acceptable one and ramming it down my throat.

The last time I looked we lived in a democracy.  In a country with more than one political party.  Where we are free to choose who we vote for.  Or don’t.  Though that latter point could be the subject of a whole other post, yes Russell Brand I am talking to you.   Anyway, I digress.

Politics is a personal thing.  Either we vote for a political party because our parents did.  Or we don’t vote for a party because of something they did or didn’t do back in the 80s.   Or we vote for them because we can’t stand the other leader.  I don’t know, and actually I really don’t care who you vote for, it is your choice.  It won’t affect my friendship with you.   And I would really rather that the decision who I vote for didn’t cloud our friendship.

Too often this week I have seen people on Facebook, Twitter, in front of friends pointing a finger and getting really quite aggressive about who they believe their friends should be voting for on May 7th.    And it’s wrong.  Yes, be strident and outspoken on your views, tell people why you are voting the way you are if you so wish.  But please don’t tell me that if I don’t vote the same way as you, you won’t speak to me again, or will be deleting me from your friends list.    Seriously?

This election is already doing my head in.  I hate the arguing.  The name calling.  The finger pointing.   The constant picking apart everything any politician says and does, and the fall out on Twitter when any politician is on the radio or TV.   It’s always a “car crash” or “imploding” or the “policies don’t add up” and the other side come along and tear it apart in 140 characters.   Can we please just stop?

There seems to be so much hatred and animosity around and I just want it all to be over.  I don’t want to have conversations with you about what your views are, or know where you stand on certain political issues because I don’t want to admit on some of those issues my stance might be different and I really don’t want an argument.   I am tired and I just don’t want to fight about politics for the next five years.

I just want to know that you have voted for the party that you believe will do the best by us.  And know that I will be doing the same.

 

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  • I totally get where you are coming from on this, I love that people are engaging with politics because it is important but to fall out over it is ridiculous x

  • Hmm yes no-one likes being told what to do, and I would never tell anyone how to vote and I have always voted on policies. In fact I made my 18 year old watch the leaders debate and talked about the issues rather than telling him that he must vote the same way I do.

    However, I can understand, to an extent, why people WOULD unfriend people (I am talking acquaintances on Facebook here) people who back a party completely against their views. In my case it would be a certain anti-disabled, racist party – but that to me isn’t politics that is just a sign that me and that person aren’t on the same page and I really don’t have to be “friends” with everyone.

    Good thought provoking post mind 🙂 x

  • I have gotten into some rather heated debates with the odd family member who seem to think UKIP are the answer to the countries problems but to be honest, I’m still not sure who to vote for, myself so I’m not pushing any agenda or thoughts. I have seen some fairly angry and pushy stuff though. Between that and the contestant media and news on the election, I am feeling slightly over it all though!

  • What annoys me is when people ram it down my throat that people died so that women could vote and I should vote because of that. They didn’t! They died so that women could have the right to choose whether or not they want to vote. I choose not to because no one can solve the monumental problems in this world!

  • True this! (I’ve linked up as the rant is often on, but can’t see the side bar to add the badge on my iPad. I’ll add it in when I’m next on a PC).

  • All totally true of course – for starters there are far better things to fall out with friends over, like when they look at it you with pity and say ‘we are so lucky – our kids are so well behaved’.

    But still ‘suppose its worth keeping in mind that in lots of places people get shot at for not agreeing on politics – unfriending seems a lot less drastic.

  • I LOVE a good debate about politics and can get quite passionate – but that said I have family who’s views are so diametrically opposed from mine that the subject just stays firmly off the table – not going to fall out with them over it!

  • For me, politics is all the same – they’re all just as bad as each other. I know I wouldn’t want the stress of having to deal with the running of a country, so hats off too all the politicians who try to do so, with the thinking that they are doing the very best that they can for us all.

  • Great post. Unless one is being unnecessarily offensive, I have never seen the need to fall out spectacularly over what is essentially a difference in opinion.