How to avoid politics at the dinner table?

[clo]

14 minutes ago, JennyB1977 said:

The Art of Conversation has fallen by the wayside. When I was young we traveled quite a bit and even lived overseas for a bit. My parents encouraged my sister and I (when appropriate - there was a lot of "girls go and play") to listen to the adult conversation. We were curious and luckily the adults were courteous and informative. I also was on the debate team in high school and learned to rely on FACTS, rather than emotion.

 

True conversation, not idle chit chat, takes work on both parties. First, being the ability to LISTEN. Second, the ability to express your beliefs. This to be done in a thoughtful manner. Thoughtful in this instance being two fold; one, you have put thought into your belief and two, you are conscious of those to whom you are speaking. Lastly, the ability to question the reasons behind the thoughts shared by others.

 

In my opinion, this is not something that has deteriorated in 2-3 years. This has transpired over decades. As someone mentioned earlier, most folks take what they read in a headline or hear on a "teaser" as fact. There is very little research and thought put into beliefs. This leads to uninformed beliefs on any  number of issues. Part of the issue is we are inundated (internet, television, radio) with inaccurate information. Newspapers and news programs used to be unbiased, reliable vessels for facts. Currently, we must seek information beyond what we're "fed". The truth is whether the lack of seeking is due to laziness, time constraints, blind trust, etc., it's happening/happened.

In the last 3-1/2 years I've said countless times: "I don't care what you think/feel/believe.  I'm only interested in facts."  That's been after 'they' told me how they "think/feel/believe."

[clo]

1 minute ago, slidergirl said:

Now, do you wear your baseball hat into the MDR

It drives me nuts, do you hear me NUTS?!?!?, to see any hat being worn in a restaurant!

[Shorex]

I suppose the companion question to "how to avoid politics at the dinner table" is "how to avoid politics on cruise critic." It seems that there are some people who just can't do either. May they all be seated together on every cruise.

[mnocket]

1 minute ago, Shorex said:

I suppose the companion question to "how to avoid politics at the dinner table" is "how to avoid politics on cruise critic." It seems that there are some people who just can't do either. May they all be seated together on every cruise.

Amen.

[ed01106]

8 minutes ago, slidergirl said:

 

 

Now, do you wear your baseball hat into the MDR to assist with starting table conversation??? 😉

 

No, I don’t wear a baseball hat to the MDR.  buffet-yes, MDR-no.  MDR deserves a fedora or top hat.  But this thread is contentious enough, the only topic more heated than politics among cruisers is dress code, so lets not go there.  🙂🙂🙂🙂

[sail7seas]

31 minutes ago, slidergirl said:

Yeah, I had to work at the Front Desk that night, so I couldn't sneak in and listen to them.  

 

Well, just about everyone has open seating options now.  I just don't like to start out at one table, get insulted or bored and have to move...  

HAL  also offers open seating. 

 

 

I  now  ask  for  and enjoy   a  two top  f or myself   as a solo traveler.

 

 

 

 

 

 

sail.noordam@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 24, 2019 by sail7seas

[Toofarfromthesea]

On 6/22/2019 at 2:50 PM, SteveH2508 said:

Slightly off topic but anyway:

I was sitting in the smoking area enjoying a cigar and a beer when an American gentleman approached me. He was genuinely interested in Brexit and the shenanigans surrounding it. He was genuinely interested in why we had as a nation voted for Brexit.

 

We had a lovely hour or so conversation about all of what had gone on and how it was being reported in the States.  Interestingly, the press coverage in the States about Brexit seemed to be ‘selective’ to say the least. I do wonder whether the media coverage of things in the US has a lot to answer for in terms of people not fully appreciating all sides of the various arguments and issues.

 

He left with a much more nuanced understanding of the issues – and Trump/Clinton issues didn’t come up at all!

 

Nah, Brits and the British press get just as slanted a view of American issues.

[Toofarfromthesea]

12 hours ago, tip said:

I avoid anyone wearing a MAGA hat.😉

 

Another one who just can't help themselves - with 4 others.

[Toofarfromthesea]

10 hours ago, GUT2407 said:

But is it a style of hat, or printed on it.

 

It was a campaign device of Trump.  A red golf hat hat with those words.

These people who just can't help injecting politics here are probably the same ones who can't help themselves on a cruise, either.

 

[Toofarfromthesea]

1 hour ago, ed01106 said:

It makes my position on Trump very clear.

 

You might want to seek treatment for your inability to exercise the slightest control over yourself.

[Toofarfromthesea]

Fascinating, the way this thread demonstrates how many people just have no restraint.  This thread turned into a great example of exactly the kind of obnoxious behavior this thread is about. 

[c-boy]

On 6/22/2019 at 6:54 PM, GUT2407 said:

So have I got it right, no politics on the ship, but fine to talk all about it here on CC???

awww the amenity the internet provides.  

[clo]

On 6/23/2019 at 8:09 AM, sail7seas said:

One has to  b e careful  these days about TMI  🤐

 

I thought I replied to this yesterday but I don't see it.

 

What would be an example of TMI?  It's not like I'd give our home address, credit card #, etc.

[sfaaa]

3 hours ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

 

It was a campaign device of Trump.  A red golf hat hat with those words.
 

It is also a simple, low cost yet extremely effective weapon to drive the other camp and the liberal media nut. Works great to this day as evidenced in this thread.

[navybankerteacher]

3 hours ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

Fascinating, the way this thread demonstrates how many people just have no restraint.  This thread turned into a great example of exactly the kind of obnoxious behavior this thread is about. 

True - it is difficult to say which end of the political spectrum is less tolerant of the other.

[sfaaa]

All things aside, we should be thankful we can have non physical political pissing match or wear certain head gear at dinner table. In many parts of the world, political dissent or simply holding a different opinion can easily earn you a one way ticket to the nearest reeducation camp or far worse.

[clo]

2 minutes ago, sfaaa said:

All things aside, we should be thankful we can have non physical political pissing match or wear certain head gear at dinner table. In many parts of the world, political dissent or simply holding a different opinion can easily earn you a one way ticket to the nearest reeducation camp or far worse.

I would like to reeducate those who wear hats in a restaurant. lol.

[sfaaa]

Just now, clo said:

I would like to reeducate those who wear hats in a restaurant. lol.

By all means but straightly non physical please. 

[wwcruisers]

5 minutes ago, sfaaa said:

All things aside, we should be thankful we can have non physical political pissing match or wear certain head gear at dinner table. In many parts of the world, political dissent or simply holding a different opinion can easily earn you a one way ticket to the nearest reeducation camp or far worse.

 

LOL -- when I was growing up, wearing ANY sort of headgear to the table would earn you a one-way ticket to the wood-shed! 😱

[ed01106]

4 minutes ago, clo said:

I would like to reeducate those who wear hats in a restaurant. lol.

That is a Christian value.  Other religions require constant head covering.  Or head coverings when eating.

[clo]

1 minute ago, ed01106 said:

That is a Christian value.  Other religions require constant head covering.  Or head coverings when eating.

Baseball caps or specific head coverings?

[ed01106]

8 minutes ago, clo said:

Baseball caps or specific head coverings?

I don’t know about every religion...

 

In the Jewish religion, the  requirement for men is any head covering is acceptable, many choose a kippot because it is the lightest head covering that meets the requirement, but a baseball cap, cowboy hat, or fedora would meet the religious requirement as well.  And many particularly in public choose something other than a kippot.

 

For Muslin women the requirement is that their hair be covered.  There is no specific requirement that it be a head scarf, although it is extremely rare for them to choose something else.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Sikhs wear turbans.

[clo]

1 minute ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Sikhs wear turbans.

Don'tcha think that it's the rare person who wears a baseball cap for religious reasons?  But I appreciate this convo.  BTW, I'm from the US South and it has a 'religion' of its own when it comes to what's correct/proper and not.

[ed01106]

13 minutes ago, clo said:

Don'tcha think that it's the rare person who wears a baseball cap for religious reasons?  But I appreciate this convo.  BTW, I'm from the US South and it has a 'religion' of its own when it comes to what's correct/proper and not.

A Jewish male most certainly could wear a baseball cap for religious reasons on a cruise.  Wearing a baseball cap meets the requirements of his religion and stands out less than a keppot. Would be too informal of a head covering to wear to the MDR for dinner (except maybe NCL) but lunch buffet it would make perfect sense.