There are just seven weeks to go until the Nov. 5 General Election, when voters will choose, not only a new U.S. president, but also new congressional leaders as well as state and local leaders. And here in Florida, let’s not forget that there are six proposed amendments to the state constitution to be voted on. There’s a lot at stake, and with so much seemingly on the line, communicating with friends and family who you disagree with politically can be difficult.
As part of Central Florida Public Media’s ongoing efforts to understand how Central Floridians are feeling this election year and what’s driving people to make the decisions they make, we asked a small group of you about how you’re engaging with politics and social media.
You’ve been snoozed
There’s a lot that’s been said about social media algorithms and what they tend to push. Doug Bowman, a registered Republican, believes the most extreme views become all the more popular for that very reason even though extreme left and extreme right is not where most people live.
“It is sometimes entertaining, but I will also say that there are relatives who I will snooze for 30 days on Facebook because they amplify things that I know aren’t factual,” Bowman said.
The 68-year-old east Orlando resident said he often chooses not to respond to the misinformation or disinformation he sees on his timeline because it can often go wrong.
“I always say that English is such a precise language, particularly the written part of English. If you can’t have a face-to-face conversation and see the facial reactions and the body language and all that goes with that, you have a higher probability of misinterpreting what those words actually are,” Bowman said.
Agree to not talk about it
Tom Unrath, 69, of Melbourne, and also a registered Republican, said it’s important to know where the boundaries or even fences lie even when it comes to loved ones.
“And as the saying goes, a good fence makes good neighbors,” Unrath said.
Still, Unrath said inclusivity is important, and he does work to allow space for people to think differently. And he said when notices others not doing so he has occasionally called it out.
“That’s something I think (is) important for all of us to do if we are going to be good neighbors. If we are going to be caring about each other, all of us, to say to someone not doing the right thing to say, I’m sorry, that’s just not the right thing,” Unrath said.
Family over politics
I refuse to allow a particular person or party influence, affect my relationship with people, said 64-year-old David Walker of Harmony, a planned community near St. Cloud. Walker, a left leaning independent, said his relationships are more important than politics, though sometimes politics can show you who people are. He said oftentimes grudges over political disagreements last longer than the politician is actually in office.
“When they’re gone, now what are you going to do with the people who you love and who you’re family with? Now, everybody’s broken,” Walker said.
Like Bowman and Unrath, Walker said if he does engage in political talk via social media it’s usually with someone he has a real connection with and someone he feels is open minded enough to listen.
