Insane Trump supporters

[jon1959]

I have a friend in the US military, a very reasonable man, but absolutely convinced that Barrack Obama was literally a communist who was hell bent on enslaving the US population.
Huge George W Bush fan.

What is your friend reasonable about?

I would have thought that someone who thinks what you describe couldn't isolate that particular opinion from the rest of their personality and world view. Even if I knew someone like that who shared my love of Cardiff City or particular films or music genres, or who liked to walk the same trails as me, I would struggle to maintain a friendship.

It always interests me to see people who are friends across seemingly intractable divides (more extreme differences than say Diane Abbott and Michael Portillo who maintained a very close friendship - he was he son's godfather). For me those kinds of extreme (and to me offensive) views are not a take it or leave it add on, but central to who they are. I know it happens, but it baffles me.

[life on mars]

What is your friend reasonable about?

I would have thought that someone who thinks what you describe couldn't isolate that particular opinion from the rest of their personality and world view. Even if I knew someone like that who shared my love of Cardiff City or particular films or music genres, or who liked to walk the same trails as me, I would struggle to maintain a friendship.

It always interests me to see people who are friends across seemingly intractable divides (more extreme differences than say Diane Abbott and Michael Portillo who maintained a very close friendship - he was he son's godfather). For me those kinds of extreme (and to me offensive) views are not a take it or leave it add on, but central to who they are. I know it happens, but it baffles me.

Some have the skills and qualities to deal with a wide range of subjects or areas ?

[jon1959]

Some have the skills and qualities to deal with a wide range of subjects or areas ?

Of course. I think most of us deal with a wide range of subjects or areas - and differences are no barrier to personal relationships.

And some decide that there are nevertheless some barriers to friendship - red lines we will not cross.. Are you saying, for arguments sake, that you have 'the skills and qualities' to make friends with racists, Nazis or child abusers? I know some people do - I assume from your comment that you are one of them.

[Rjk]

What is your friend reasonable about?

I would have thought that someone who thinks what you describe couldn't isolate that particular opinion from the rest of their personality and world view. Even if I knew someone like that who shared my love of Cardiff City or particular films or music genres, or who liked to walk the same trails as me, I would struggle to maintain a friendship.

It always interests me to see people who are friends across seemingly intractable divides (more extreme differences than say Diane Abbott and Michael Portillo who maintained a very close friendship - he was he son's godfather). For me those kinds of extreme (and to me offensive) views are not a take it or leave it add on, but central to who they are. I know it happens, but it baffles me.

Don't get me wrong, he's fairly brash and opinionated and he can rub people up the wrong way, especially over here.

Lots of my family are american though, and I work over there quite regularly, so there is less of a communication barrier than with other UK people. It's very easy to underestimate how big that can be when ostensibly you are both speaking English.
Ultimately I find him very amusing in a ridiculous sort of way, and he doesn't take himself at all seriously.

He's not remotely racist or anything like that, that would obviously be a red line for me.

I think I would have more trouble getting past his extreme views if he was from the UK, as he's very much a product of the environment he was brought up in, whereas for a European to end up with such extreme views you know they are probably a complete ****.

[jon1959]

Don't get me wrong, he's fairly brash and opinionated and he can rub people up the wrong way, especially over here.

Lots of my family are american though, and I work over there quite regularly, so there is less of a communication barrier than with other UK people. It's very easy to underestimate how big that can be when ostensibly you are both speaking English.
Ultimately I find him very amusing in a ridiculous sort of way, and he doesn't take himself at all seriously.

He's not remotely racist or anything like that, that would obviously be a red line for me.

I think I would have more trouble getting past his extreme views if he was from the UK, as he's very much a product of the environment he was brought up in, whereas for a European to end up with such extreme views you know they are probably a complete ****.

Interesting - thanks for elaborating. I agree that their environment can change our perceptions of someone.