According to the Pew Research Center, 45 percent of U.S. adults have stopped discussing politics with someone in their lives. This is the unfortunate reality of American politics: a vital topic that affects the daily lives of all Americans, but one that is often overlooked in many households. As the country’s political parties become increasingly polarized, the taboo surrounding politics is growing more prominent, and it will not be resolved unless it’s addressed.

In many households, it has become customary to avoid discussing politics. Whether this means watering down heated topics or simply avoiding them altogether, individuals often attempt to keep politics separate from amiable conversations. Archie Williams senior Felix Shuldiner has personally experienced the reluctance to discuss this sometimes sensitive topic. 

“My dad refuses to talk about [politics]. He’s a big proponent of politics being kept off the table. Some people say that [politics is] one of the things that you just don’t talk about with other people, and he’s one of those people,” Felix said.

So, where does this hesitation stem from? One possible explanation lies in America’s history as a melting pot of various cultures and perspectives. With many differing opinions, Americans have learned to avoid topics of controversy. 

“[The U.S. is] a country that is very diverse, with very different backgrounds. Many people have lots of political differences, as well as economic, social, and cultural ones. So in order for groups of people to get on who are very different from each other, they agree not to… talk about certain subjects,” said College of Marin political science professor Paul Cheney.

Although varying perspectives can spark controversy, there is value in discussing politics with people who may not share similar viewpoints. The introduction of new beliefs in casual conversation brings an opportunity to expand ways of thinking. Discussing politics can involve sharing alternative ideas and beliefs, but that does not necessarily mean convincing someone of your personal views.

“Just arguing about politics with somebody, you’re not going to convince someone to think differently about it. So you think, well, what’s the point of arguing [about] it? And the point really is that right at that moment, you’re not going to convince somebody… but you can raise some questions in their mind,” Cheney said.

In an interview with the American Psychological Association (APA), APA CEO Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, explained the importance of being open to conflict when maintaining connections. 

“Leading up to the 2024 presidential election, many Americans faced prolonged worry and uncertainty, which can significantly impact our well-being and relationships,” Evans said. “Avoiding conflict is not the same as coping with stress. If we distance ourselves from others due to anticipated disagreements, we risk losing the relationships and communities that are crucial for our well-being, especially during stressful times.”

Although conversations about controversial topics can become heated, with the right mindset, they can strengthen relationships rather than harm them. In Felix’s experience, exchanging ideas can be mind-opening and serve as a way to understand varying viewpoints. 

“I made this friend who ended up voting for Trump, and that was surprising to me, but it didn’t make me want to not be friends with him anymore; it kind of made me just more interested in his viewpoints,” Felix said. “I actually learned a lot from him, and I think in the end, he kind of saw my side of things. I wasn’t trying to change his mind, but I think he may have reconsidered a little bit,” Felix said. 

The taboo around politics doesn’t only appear in casual conversation, but is also prevalent in the education system. Due to the heated nature of political discussions, teachers are often hesitant to spark conflict in the classroom.

“People have made teachers a bit worried to bring up controversial topics, [because] maybe parents would say, ‘Why are you talking about this?’ And [teachers are] scared of upsetting parents. [Politics] come with the education system, and it’s in all aspects of our workplaces,” Cheney said.

Despite the potential pushback, Archie Williams Advanced Placement Economics teacher Mike Kelemen believes some aspects of politics should be discussed in class. In his opinion, school is meant to instill critical thinking strategies and expand students’ worldviews, and debating political events is an essential aspect of this outcome.

“Part of what we do as teachers is to try to get students to not be afraid to understand things better, and then not be afraid to voice their thoughts if they think something is not right. And that’s what politics is: saying what you think and trying to have a voice,” Kelemen said.

In Kelemen’s view, understanding politics goes hand in hand with proactive involvement, a crucial part of student learning. In order to be effective American citizens capable of participating in elections, young people must be informed and able to act on their beliefs.

“Politics is the process of making decisions for our whole society, right? Whether it’s office politics, school politics, or politics in Washington, DC, [it’s] a different process of decision making. I think students, as [they] get to be adults, [should care about] things that happen to them. You should want to be part of the processes [and] understand the process that makes decisions that impact your life,” Kelemen said.

Teachers incorporate current events into their curriculum to provide students with real-world examples of various aspects of politics. However, teachers must take careful consideration to avoid personal biases when teaching controversial subjects so as not to overly influence students’ own views.

“Tending to just purely look at the facts [is helpful]… as opposed to being like, ‘Oh, Trump is pulling people out of the House of Representatives. Here’s my opinion on that.’ That’s overstepping, but saying, ‘Trump is pulling people out of the House of Representatives. Here’s the effect of that,’ that’s much more reasonable,” Felix said.

If society continues on its current track, the political divide will only get larger and larger until it’s more of a political chasm. A study by the Pew Research Center found that over the past two decades, the two major political parties have developed increasingly unfavorable views of each other; in 1994, 21 percent of Republicans had a very unfavorable view of the Democratic Party, as opposed to 62 percent in 2022. Likewise, in 1994, 17 percent of Democrats had a very unfavorable view of the Republican party, and in 2022, that number reached 54 percent. 

This pattern is not expected to reverse any time soon. Politics can be a heated subject, but avoiding it does not make it any less divisive. The only way to bridge this gap is to rehumanize issues that can sometimes be difficult to tackle, such as immigration, gun control, and abortion, and compromise on solutions. 

“The reason that our political landscape is so rough and why there’s all this almost violence around it is that people don’t talk. They don’t come to a middle ground with it,” Felix said. “If people had those conversations and came to compromises, instead of just holding fast in their beliefs and not ever hearing about the other side… I think we’d all be in a better place.”