Sometimes one of the most difficult parts of trying to be politically engaged is sharing the things you’ve learned with other people in your life. It’s an important part of the process; after all, somebody has to challenge the dominant mainstream narratives and offer a different perspective. Some of us may be routinely confronted with people we don’t agree with or sometimes represent the lone dissenting voice in the room, especially around the end of the year.
There are plenty of resources online for exactly how to talk about certain issues, but there is no given formula for changing someone’s mind. Usually, talking about politics with anyone we disagree with is like navigating a minefield that can easily be derailed by misinformation, stereotypes, or outright stubbornness. We’ve found that it has been helpful to learn more about the psychology behind changing (or not changing) someone’s mind so we can better identify some of the obstacles in our way.
