How to talk to someone citing fake news
First, why would you do this? Aren’t we all told it’s safer to avoid discussing politics in the first place?
My response: if we can’t talk about politics, the silos we find ourselves in now will last forever. The gulf between political parties grows and our inability to find common ground and discuss the values and behavior we accept (or don’t) from our politicians becomes impossible. Democracy cannot stand on a foundation of who screams the loudest, but it can stand on vigorous debate where everyone, without exception, has to take responsibility for their words and arguments, have space to make mistakes and ask questions, and accept that their opinions may change over time.
So how do we talk about facts and fake news? Let’s start by accepting some discomfort.
This conversation should be uncomfortable. You have to state your “truths” and explain why your source or facts are more accurate than the ones someone you love currently trusts. You need to be comfortable with the fact that you might be proven wrong and I encourage you to be open to that. You might need to state very clear HOW and WHY you know something is true, which might change your perspective on an issue you think you know everything about. These are all very challenging moments, be open to them.
