What do Americans talk about with family and freinds? Politics?

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   tsmogposted 4 months ago

   What’s new with you? What Americans talk about with family and friends by  Pew Research (July 2, 2024)
   https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads … d-friends/
   
   
   
   "When Americans gather for the July Fourth holiday, they will likely discuss a wide variety of topics, from work and personal health to politics and pets.
   
   Yet for most people, simply catching up is a far more popular topic of conversation than any of those issues when they talk with family and friends.
   
   Nearly seven-in-ten Americans (69%) say they talk to their close friends and family a lot about what’s happening with them. That is by far the highest share for any of the 12 topics Pew Research Center asked about in a recent survey."
   
   Further along they state . . .
   
   "And only about one-in-five Republicans (21%) and Democrats (18%) say they discuss political issues frequently.
   
   However, there are slight partisan differences in how frequently religion and pop culture come up in conversation:
   
   ** Republicans are nearly twice as likely as Democrats to say they talk about faith and religion a lot (24% vs. 13%).
   
   ** Nearly half of Democrats (47%) say they talk about movies, TV shows or music a lot – compared with only about three-in-ten Republicans (28%).
   
   ** Democrats are also more likely than Republicans to say they talk about celebrities and famous people a lot, though few in either group say they do this (9% vs. 3%).
   
   Summary
   
   
   
   Some questioning . . .
   
   Are we being misled by the media that politics are tearing families apart?
   
   Religion and politics were two of the lowest three of all topic areas. Why are they not popular do you suppose?
   
   Issues and problems - country and then local area is in the middle of the pack. Does politics enter there? Or, is it by passed? Or, . . .
   
   Thoughts, criticisms, accolades, and commentary?

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      IslandBitesposted 4 months agoin reply to this

      I think the answer is in your own questions.
      
      Religion and politics were two of the lowest three of all topic areas. Why are they not popular do you suppose?
      
      ...politics are tearing families apart?
      
      Maybe that's why are not popular topic of conversation. You guys wouldnt have families otherwise.
      
      
      Im fortunate that here (PR) we're not divided as Republicans/Democrats, or  "conversatives/liberals". In fact, those are not common labels here. So we discuss politics frequently. Sometimes it gets heated for a minute, the next, everybody is laughing, eating, singing. LOL
      
      The most "tense" political discussions get are around election time, and is not that bad, really.

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         tsmogposted 4 months agoin reply to this

         Thanks for commenting. Interesting the 'custom' in Puerto Rico with regard to political discussions. Since there is not really a conservative/liberal identity or label there does it come down to a side on issues or political figure solely. I don't know if that makes sense or not.
         
         In my family growing up the only time politics was discussed it was with a one-on-one setting with a parent and never as a group. With my adult life at family gatherings religion, politics, and social issues are taboo sort to speak.
         
         Social circles mainly co-workers when I worked politics were sparsely discussed. One reason why was because the owner of the company and upper management were staunch conservatives/republicans. Most of the corporate office workers were liberal/democrats biting their tongues when the President would enter the office and demean Obama. Purposely, I don't know.
         
         One time a flyer for Romney was posted at the copier in the warehouse for office storage boxes. For giggles I posted one for Obama and another saying simply 'Vote' in the middle. My thinking was equal time. By the end of the day the Obama flyer disappeared.

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            IslandBitesposted 4 months agoin reply to this

            Let see how can I explain it.
            
            Certainly, there are more conservative and more liberal persons, but it is not a label or divisive issue here. In fact, I never had to identify myself (or even think about it) as a liberal until I started posting here in HP. LOL
            
            Eventhough there is a US Democratic (and Republican) party in PR, most people dont even know about it. LOL And our local politicians and political parties are not specifially divided as such. (Ex. in a local party there are some that identify as republicans and some that identify as democrats. But not even all of them care.) And because our colonial status, we in PR cant vote for the US president, those two "american" parties in the Island dont matter to us.
            
            So, the political life in the Island is centered aroud the status idiology. We have 3 main political parties. One that wants PR to become a US state, one that favor the actual status with minor changes, and one that favors the Indepence for the Island. But really, we maily vote to chose who is in charge for the next 4 years. (Our mayors, senators and representatives are elected every 4 years too.)
            
            
            Im sorry, I hope that helps. My english is not that good. LOL

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               tsmogposted 4 months agoin reply to this

               I find no challenge with your English. I think I understand what you mean. It is similar to the politics where I live in the city of Escondido. With the people there really isn't as much emphasis on which party they are from. It is more on their positions on issues and such.
               
               For instance our mayor was once homeless for a few years that became somewhat successful. I don't know what party he belongs to nor care. He works toward solving the homeless challenge, increasing small businesses growth, and improving education.

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                  IslandBitesposted 4 months agoin reply to this

                  Thank you!
                  
                  And yes, I get that. Somewhat similar case.
                  
                  Wow, whats his name,? Id like to look him up.

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                     tsmogposted 4 months agoin reply to this

                     Here you go, two articles. The first one has a about two minute video interview. And, I learned he is a Republican. What do you know? Take note my city Escondido is in San Diego County the northern part. (California) The south of San Diego borders Mexico where Tijuana is. Maybe you heard of it? They refer to the northern part as North County, though it isn't a county. It is a region in San Diego County.
                     
                     Escondido's young new mayor aims to tackle homelessness by KPBS (KPBS is San Diego County Public Broadcasting Service -PBS)
                     https://www.kpbs.org/news/local/2022/12 … melessness
                     
                     and,
                     
                     Escondido’s Mayor Used to Live on the Street Behind a 7-Eleven by Voice of San Diego
                     Dane White used to be homeless and severely addicted to drugs, now he’s Escondido’s youngest ever mayor. He wants to use his experiences to help shape Escondido’s approach to homelessness.
                     https://voiceofsandiego.org/2023/05/24/ … s-efforts/

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                        IslandBitesposted 4 months agoin reply to this

                        Ive heard of Escondido before. What a great success story. I hope he does a good job.
                        
                        Thanks for the links!

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