Kyle Cave

Contributing Writer

This year’s Thanksgiving is coming three weeks after one of the biggest elections in recent memory. With everyone’s families gathering after a long year of not seeing them, it is almost inevitable that politics will come up. Especially with our political climate now after the election.

So, how exactly do you get through these political discussions that are bound to come up, not even after your second plate?

There’s not exactly an easy answer to this question.

Most Americans dread the idea of political discussions at the Thanksgiving table. A study by AXOIS stated, “Thanksgiving celebrations are not the time or place to discuss politics with family.” 77% of people agreed with the poll, with only 15% disagreeing.

There are many reasons why people don’t want to discuss politics at the dinner table. With our deeply divided country, it isn’t surprising.

With Thanksgiving break falling upon us, a simple question was asked to ESU students this fall: “How do you feel about politics getting brought up at the dinner table after the election?” The answers were interesting.

One student said, “It’s inevitable in my family it’s gonna happen, even without an election, politics is a huge thing.”

Another student said, “It doesn’t happen that much with my family, we have a range of opinions, moderates, far-right, far-left but it gets very interesting.” He also added, “In my house, it doesn’t get heated over politics, it gets heated over Hawaiian rolls.”

It is very clear from all the opinions received that politics at the dinner table is a phenomenon that, while most people do not want to happen, will come up due to our political climate.

Politics, to many individuals in a family setting, is like a haunted floor in a hotel. Individuals know it there and know of its existence but don’t want to acknowledge it or try their very best to avoid it at all costs for the sake of harm reduction.

NPR got word from science and psychological researchers on how to get through these sometimes-unavoidable discussions of politics during holidays.

It stresses taking a breath during these discussions. They acknowledge these discussions are tough to have and can be upsetting, but the research stresses the goals should be understanding one another and how they think.

The second tip given was to empathize with one another, try to see where they are coming from and, based on that information, try to find common ground with one another with their views.

The last tip given is that during these discussions, try and focus on every point given and remember that sometimes your points may not be perfect, or your stances may not be perfect.

Only time will tell if Americans ever figure out how to navigate political discussions not only at the dinner table but with each other. Thanksgiving political discussion shows us that Americans can’t even fathom the thought of talking with their own families about politics.

In the future, these discussions may get better or worse, but time will certainly tell.