this post was submitted on 12 May 2025
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This comic illustrates my internal struggle to get along with my trump bootlicker coworkers.
I have to schmooze a little bit to keep the working relationship running, but I feel disgusted every single day when the little hints of what they stand for peek out.
So I’m going to share something agent_nycto said once, because it works very well on people like this:
I don't think you should be quiet, it makes them feel like everyone is agreeing with them and makes everyone miserable. Time to introduce you to my favorite game to play with conservatives, Politics Judo!
So you hear them rant about a thing. Some dumbass talking point. Let's use gun control. It's pretty easy to know in advance what the talking points are since they never shut up and parrot the same problem and solution over and over. "Shouldn't take guns, it's a mental problem not a gun problem".
Things are basically boiled down to a problem and a solution. A lot of people try to convince people that the problem isn't what people think it is, and that's hard to do. Even if they are just misinformed, it feels like trying to dismiss their fears.
So what you do is you agree with the problem, then use lefty talking points as the solution.
"Oh yeah, gun violence is pretty bad! And I love the Constitution, we shouldn't mess with that!" (Use small words and also throw in some patriotism, makes them feel like you're on their side. You want to sound like a right wing media con artist) "so instead of taking guns away, we should instead start having more, free, mental health care in this country. Since it's a mental health problem and these people are crazy, that is the solution that makes the most sense!" (Don't try to get them to agree to your solution, just state it as the obvious one)
It becomes weaponized cognitive dissonance. Their brains fry because you said the things you should to agree with them, flagged yourself as an ally, but then said the thing they were told is the bad and shouldn't want.
If they try to argue with your solution, rinse and repeat to a different talking point. "Oh yeah it might cost more, and we shouldn't have to pay more for it, so we should get the rich people who are screwing average hard working Americans over by not paying taxes to do that. We should shut down tax loopholes and increase funding to the IRS so they can go after them instead of the little guy"
Always sound like you're agreeing with them, but giving solutions that they disagree with that seem to be off topic but are related.
Either they will get flustered and stop, or they will slip up and say something racist or sexist or something, and then you can have HR bust them. Document it and also see if you're in a single party consent state.
The "yes and" method.
It starts with "I'm married to a Democrat, so I'm reasonable" but then "sorry guys let me get my dog's shock collar, she's eating the cat food again". Funny how over half of my Republican coworkers shock their dogs and hit their kids in the past, literally don't think there's anything wrong with it.
Try seemingly open-minded questions about what they think. Gently introducing questioning will avoiding confrontation can work to shake their beliefs. It can be satisfying to see them become more nuanced as they try to explain.
They just bring up information as fact that they've put no research into demonstrating.
"oh well that's just not what I believe" -anything against their alternative facts
Just gently question those: oh, why do you think this? What do you think of those people who have another opinion? Keep pulling on whatever they give.
No. That's a poor way to do it. They have very clear ideas on why things are like they are, and for the basis of their racism.. they're wrong ideas, but they're extremely clear. Arguing without the understanding that they have alternatives facts is wrong
Why would you think it's without knowing they got intoxicated by fake news?
That's the point, you think they have wrong ideas, so you push them gently to increase the chance that they will question them by themselves.
If that's a poor way to do it, maybe you have a better way, what is it?
I really can't make heads or tails of this sentence.
I don't disagree with gentle pushing. I'm saying what your idea is not going to push them at all, nor will it be taken as gentle. Honestly, it makes me wonder if you've actually interacted with these sorts.
The best approach that I've found is to beat them to the punch of saying things. Basically, make points before they can say stipid shit, they're very easily manipulated if they haven't already taken a stance in the conversation
Also going into the points they aren't as sure on, proving them wrong, has given me a great basis of getting them to admit they're wrong. It's all in tone of voice. Not being a dick about it.
You said this:
I'm asking you why would you think that is not already integrated in my way, since I think it is implied by what I explained.
Not the MAGA people since I don't live in the USA, but French conservatives, mostly through the diversity of background that exists in sports activities.
I think this could work, but it limits the number of opportunities quite a lot. I see no reason to not try both.
Soap box <--- We have not been here for about a decade. Very, very, very few people who voted right wing are still capable of being swayed by almost anything you say, and the effort you put into it, likely isn't worth it. More Republicans approve of him now 87% to 92% than they did in his first term.
Ballot box
Jury box <--- We are here.
Ammo box
100% but we both know that if these people aren't dealt with, the world is only going to get worse.
To get along with humans.
There I fixed it. 😁