Right Winged Friends

[MBJC]

I have a friend of mine who is 100% pro capitalist. I have frequent arguments over many fifteen perspectives on politics, economics, world issues etc with him. He understands my opinions (let's just say anarchist-socialist) but disregards them as impossible, utopian and generally stupid. He is some weird kind of libertarian-capitalist who ruthlessly supports the bourgeosie, defending their actions as beneficial to society (including those who they exploit)
He has some pretty messed up views including pro-sweatshop-ism, exploitation and he's a full out sexist.
I find his lack of compassion for others and free market ideas disturbing. What should I do about him?

[L.A.P.]

What should I do about him?

Stop being friends with him.

[Tommy4ever]

Your going to have to live in a world where the vast majority of people are capitalists. So if your friends, don't let your politics get in the way.

This guy does sound like an arrogant dick though.

[Luisrah]

From the way you're talking you don't seem to really like him.
A full out sexist?

Well, it depends on different people, but I don't think I could be a friend with a full out sexist.

[Ostrinski]

Liquidate him.

Jk. I have the same problem. I have a couple right wing friends. We constantly argue. It's really weird, we're friends for the sake of arguing.

[SacRedMan]

I have an extreme-right winged nationalistic friend, but he doesn't like Hitler, so that's OK for me. I told him I was a communist, and he was ok with that, but he didn't understand why communists are against nationalists. After that I told him that there are national communist, like the nazbols in Russia, and he was very suprised. After that, I just said that we shouldn't argue about politics anymore now, because it would end our friendship.

[Quail]

I think I'd find it difficult to be friends with an "all-out sexist" or anyone who regularly spouted discriminatory rubbish. You should really call him out on that and explain to him why it bothers you.

[Dr Mindbender]

i find it difficult to find much common ground with right wingers let alone form friendships with them.

I really hate it though when i start to like someone and then they drop a bomb by saying something stupid and uncritical about the immigration zeitgeist or the 'war on terror'.

[Aloysius]

For some reason a lot of my friends are either blatantly pro-capitalist, ignorant to what communism is, or socialists. In that order, from greatest to least.
(I have 3 socialist friends, and they're all in the same family.)

[Magón]

What should I do about him?

It's ultimately up to you. How long have you know him? What's your general history with him, and how often do you argue together about political and social subjects? If all you two ever do is argue, and can't have fun together on other things, without it turning political or whatever, then being friends with him is probably not the best thing because it's not really a friendship. Especially if he's full out sexist, I'd probably have knocked him out personally, if all he ever said about a woman was sexist.


After that I told him that there are national communist, like the nazbols in Russia

Wait what? Are you serious?

[Trigonometry]

Its hard to have faith in communism when most proletariat are like that; sometimes you feel they are damned for their own ignorance

[Agent Ducky]

I have a friend like this too, I argue with him about the flaws of capitalism but he says he doesn't care, doesn't care about the workers... Those people can be fun to argue with if they're well-educated. If they're stupid though, don't bother... Just try not to bring it up with them.

[#FF0000]

I've got some friends who are right wing or libertarians or w/e.

They're not so bad.

[Comrade J]

Worst kind of friends I have politically are the ones who tell me I should vote (and can't complain if I don't) and whose political knowledge doesn't extend beyond parliamentary 'democracy'. I think sometimes I'd rather have apolitical friends than those who are well and truly conned by the illusion of democracy we have in the UK.

[sanpal]

I don't think that the friendship is based only on the political or religious views, there are a lot of different interests, mutual helps, etc. You can talk about politics, economy, etc. but if there is nonunderstandings there is no need to prove your view at any price.

I imagine outlook /ideology (the complex of political or religious view) of some person as the "heavy load" (for example 1 ton) hanged on a long-long cord.
If you try to press this bob, you at once will feel, that the bob resists to your pressure. The quicker you wish to move this load, the bigger you will feel the "attack" from the load and even you risk to harm your own shoulder.

But if you press easily, with only one finger for a long time, you will see soon that this heavy load begin to be moving.

[Meridian]

I had a friend who was really right wing. Arguing with him annoyed me, not specifically because he was right wing, but because he was so dogmatic and willfully ignorant.

His right wing beliefs did not root in rationality but in a sense of superiority and carelessness. He was so shallow I just lost interest in talking with him.

[SacRedMan]

Wait what? Are you serious?

Uh... Is that sarcastic?

[Kamos]

Uh... Is that sarcastic?

National communists aren't communists, and your post seemed to imply that in some way, they are. I think that's what he meant.

[Magón]

Uh... Is that sarcastic?

Nazbol's are Russian Nazi's, not Communists.

[Optiow]

Don't let politics get in the way of your friendships. You should have a personal life, and then you should have a political life. If you combine these two factors, you will end up cut off and isolated because the majority of people are not communist.

[progressive_lefty]

It's just one of those things. Even if all of your friends are leftwing it doesn't mean you'll never disagree or that there won't be natural politics (group dynamics). My grandparents are pretty rightwing - but I try to avoid arguing with them because they're quite old.

[Johnny Kerosene]

For some reason a lot of my friends are either blatantly pro-capitalist, ignorant to what communism is, or socialists. In that order, from greatest to least.
(I have 3 socialist friends, and they're all in the same family.)

Fuck man, I have a "socialist" friend who constantly refers to the Soviet Union as Communist, and says things like "During communist times," and "That's a communist car (referring to some soviet vehicle)." If you're going to claim to be a socialist at least know the damn difference between socialism and communism. I think she just says she's socialist because she's from Bulgaria and the Soviet Union collapsed when she was like, 1. It's really fucking irritating. If I have to talk to right-wingers I just try to steer clear of anything that might get political, but I'm pretty good at improvised debates so I can usually at least counter their basic points if it does turn into an argument.

[Salyut]

Best friend is probably the only Minuteman in all of Alaska.

Not joking.

[Bitter Ashes]

Story time!

When I first moved to Huddersfield I was hanging around with a group of rockers. They seemed like a nice lot, but when my politics became clear, through Facebook, three of them began out and out provoking me into conflict with them. Cheering on the police's actions at demos, ranting about unions, etc. Ironically, two of them were called David Cameron and Adam Smith.

Anyway, Mr Cameron managed to save up his pennies to get a Subway franchise in Ravensthorpe and began to brag about how he abused his staff to my face. Worse, he started doing it on Facebook on left wing group pages, that he'd found from my profile, such as the one to support BA cabin crew. A friend in the wobblies spotted his comments, checked his profile and found 1 mutual friend - me and asked what was happening about it. Originally, I supplied information about the whereabouts of the workplace so that the staff could be questioned about whether there was actually any abuse occuring. After some thought I decieded that I wanted nothing more to do with the campaign and distanced myself from it. I confided in another friend in the circle who immediatly alerted Cameron and suddenly it became all out war.

The three banded together, convinced that I was behind some kind of campaign to destroy Cameron's livlihood. Every single time I was out at the pub I'd be getting abuse from them and of course, I defended myself. It started to get nasty and it all came to a head and basically it got to the point where nights out became either me being invited, or them being invited. Sometimes it'd be a case of me being asked to leave if one of these three turned up in the pub to prevent us tearing at each other.

I got sick of it in the end and had to stop hanging around with them and made new friends who wouldn't put me in such a fucking stupid position.

Wish it wasn't the case, but it kind of is.

[Thirsty Crow]

Story time!...
...Ironically, two of them were called David Cameron and Adam Smith.

:ohmy::ohmy::laugh::laugh:
That's precious :D

In all honesty, I don't think anybody with an ounce of respect for human beings needs such "friends". If I were you, I'd probably get myself into trouble by doing everything I can in order that this little shithead gets what he deserves (within the confines of the law). But that does not mean I am looking down on your actions, on the contrary, I really admire clear headed people who know when to distance themselves from these kind of situations while doing at least something about it.

I just hope you didn't have problems after you've decided not to hang out around these folks anymore.

[Bitter Ashes]

Well, one of them tried to get me sacked from my job, saying that my politics made me unemployable and that I was committing fraud by not revealing them to my employer. I did actually get dropped in disciplinary after disciplinary afterwards until I was eventually sacked. Doubt it was as a result of their actions, but it was still bloody upsetting that this guy who I'd spent many evenings sat around in the pub with was determined to destroy me for what I believe. I try not to worry about it anymore. They'll get what's coming to them without my help.

[Thirsty Crow]

Well, one of them tried to get me sacked from my job, saying that my politics made me unemployable and that I was committing fraud by not revealing them to my employer. I did actually get dropped in disciplinary after disciplinary afterwards until I was eventually sacked. Doubt it was as a result of their actions, but it was still bloody upsetting that this guy who I'd spent many evenings sat around in the pub with was determined to destroy me for what I believe. I try not to worry about it anymore. They'll get what's coming to them without my help.

That's just disgusting. I really don't have anything clever to say except just that. Hope he runs out of business and ends up permanently unemployed.

[Ermo Kruus]

I actually wish I had friends who were right-wing oriented. Everybody in my class are left-leaning, and all my other friends are left-wing aswell. This way it's hard to have any discussions, and it's hard to really show my own views since everybody in theory sort of agrees.

[Rusty Shackleford]

i have conservative and right wing friends. we argue a lot with them but were still friends.

[cu247]

I argue a lot with my right wing friends, usually it's alright and we keep it civilized. But recently one of them started spewing bullshit and insults 'cause he had no more arguments so I stopped arguing. But I try to keep my political opinions out of the way when it comes to friendship.

[Imposter Marxist]

Get really good at debating. Embarrase him in front of other people one day. Attack him until he either concedes defeat, or doesn't bring politics up anymore.
:D

[black magick hustla]

grow up in mexico or stop whining about your right wing friends jesus

[wunderbar]

I have one capital-L Libertarian friend who I don't keep much in contact with, except for occasional arguments on facebook. The rest are either democrats, apolitical or independent with vaguely left-of-center views, but still pro-capitalist. And a couple socialists.

[LewisQ]

My friends fall into three groups: an older, more cynical, centre-right but not outright reactionary group. A "centre-left" (i.e., socially liberal, borderline social-democratic but pro-capitalist) group, and a left-nationalist group. The only socialists I know are people I meet through political activity.

My brother's an odd case. I'm far closer to him than the rest of my family, but he's gradually morphed from an avowed socialist to a devout Catholic traditionalist (although he's still very pro-welfare state, anti-globalization etc.) We have so much in common outside of politics that it's not a problem. I think choosing one's friends based on their politics bespeaks a certain lack of human feeling. Obviously there are attitudes (racism, homophobia) which are totally non-negotiable, but we socialists are not a chosen people. We can't opt out of the world.

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

Most of my friends are just a-political, which can be annoying. Generally they're quite a progressive/centrist lot, most of them studied politics with me to A Level and are sort of Obamaites/Lib Dems/Labour. Meh.

[TheGodlessUtopian]

I have a libertarian friend and we have these little back and forth debates...it's quite fun actually,especially when he tries to justify people going hungry as "...they also have the right to go to a soup kitchen." Haha...ah,one of these days I need to tear him a new one and really lay into him why that is complete bullshit.

[Hebrew Hammer]

I have a friend of mine who is 100% pro capitalist. I have frequent arguments over many fifteen perspectives on politics, economics, world issues etc with him. He understands my opinions (let's just say anarchist-socialist) but disregards them as impossible, utopian and generally stupid. He is some weird kind of libertarian-capitalist who ruthlessly supports the bourgeosie, defending their actions as beneficial to society (including those who they exploit)
He has some pretty messed up views including pro-sweatshop-ism, exploitation and he's a full out sexist.
I find his lack of compassion for others and free market ideas disturbing. What should I do about him?

He sounds like he could fall under one of three categories:

1. He's not really political and just says however he feels even if when it gets done to the nity grity, he really doesn't feel that way.
2. He's political and he's a libertarian douche but probably isn't as cold, uncaring and douchey as you percieve him to be and will probably agree with your or would be willing to given the right argument, factoid, etc.
3. He's a libertarian douche trying to play the usual "I only care about myself," uber-egotistical, narcissistic, Randian role they try to play.

If he's no. 1 then you could try talking to him (when prudent) and try persuade him to the left side of things. If he's no. 2 or 3, I would just not talk about politics and sensitive subjects of that nature because he probably won't be listening and it will only lead to arguing. Or bring it up only when prudent, don't get frustrated just try to talk to him and persuade him using theory, facts, etc. If all else fails, stop being friends with him if you really can't take it.

[rednordman]

To be honest, if he isn't staunchly passionate about his politics than he probably isn't arguing on the same level as you anyway. Do his political persuasions totally define who he is, or is he simply opinionated? If not, try looking at the things that made you friends in the first play, and then decided. Don't let politics get in the way of friendship as in the end you will end up loosing out. After all, it isn't like he is a staunch Nazi is it? But, if he is as passionate about what he believes in as you are, than maybe distancing yourself from him is the best thing to do. Difficult question.

[PhoenixAsh]

I keep this as follows:

1). Political life. Completely seperated from social live. I certainly keep the activism hidden and teh details secret from everybody outside the immediate group I am part of. My friends know preciously little other than that I am probably active and I definately do not mix groups.

2). Political opinion. My friends know most of my views. Some I keep to myself. I do not necessarilly debate them and they do not necessarilly challenge them. If I do its mostly topic oriented. But I do not keep my opinions hidden....its more of a voluntary curtesy to each other.

3). My social life. I keep that mostly seperate. I enjoy my friends company. Each have something to add in their own way. The others hang out with...I don't discuss politics though I will challenge views which I find unacceptable on their level. Most non friends I hang out with think I am a-political and look at situations from an interesting and different perspective...they also know I hate racism and gender discrimination.

For the rest...I am very careful in selecting the people I hang out with or who I consider as close friends.

[Rjevan]

Guess this thread was moved to Politics accidentally, it's really at the wrong place in a forum for discussing "political method and news from around the world and how this affects our struggle against capitalism and oppression".

Moved back to Non-Political.

[Aspiring Humanist]

You could have just politely debated with him, but when he defends exploitation and is a sexist, he's lost all rights to be civil with

fuck em

[RedSunRising]

I would not be friends with a libertarian or a fascist because I see such views as evidence of deeper failings in the personality.

Im very wary around mainline Trot supporters (CWI and SWP).

[☭The Revolution☭]

Give him to me for 8 years.

[redSHARP]

i would try to curtail his sexist tendencies. beyond that he is entitled to his opinions.