Human beings are social animals. We spend time with each other. As we gain each other's trust and friendship, we must learn to deal with our differences. Politics is one of the most divisive subjects. If you have a Communist friend, you could very reasonably hate him, but by respecting each other, you will come to accept him despite your differences.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: working on your friendship
Step 1. Agree to disagree
All tastes are in nature, some like democracy, others prefer communist regimes, some are libertarians, others are Islamogauchists… Still others are pro-capitalists and that's fine! The best thing about making friends is understanding each other. If your friend is a Communist and believes in a different ideology, you can still get along very well. The political trend will be just one area that you cannot agree on. Understand that you don't have to agree with your friend to get along well.
Step 2. Stick to it
If someone has different ideas or beliefs, they still don't deserve to be criticized or judged on those beliefs. Put aside your opinions and treat it with respect, Communists have the same right to opinion as you. Friendships don't have to be made of difficult situations.
Step 3. Focus on the best parts of your friendship
Find common ground. You won't bond with your friend if you constantly argue about Communism. Other aspects of people can be more interesting than political opinion. Think about what attracted you to your friend at the beginning, such as studying, sports, work or flowers. Flowers smell good after all. The best friendships are balanced friendships.
Step 4. Support your friend if other people are laughing at him
No one should be harassed for their beliefs or opinions, not even Communists. If your friend is being abused by people opposed to Communism, support him. This is the best thing for your friendship and it will open the eyes of the people who harass him, and make them more tolerant. It is possible to support your friend without supporting his communism.
Part 2 of 3: Learning About Communism
Step 1. Ask your friend questions about their opinions
Learning more about each other is essential, whatever the relationship, friends should have a lot to offer to each other. Ask your friend about their political views. Ask open-ended questions that start with "why" or "how" and avoid interrupting or judging too much.
Step 2. Learn about communism
Communism is a theory and if you focus only on the mistakes of the people who put it into practice, you will never learn more. Try reading Engels' Principles of Communism, Lenin's State and Revolution, or Engels and Marx's Communist Party Manifesto. Also be careful of the sources you consult, as some can arouse fear and hatred towards Communists. Whatever happens, remember that you should not sacrifice your own standards for theirs.
Step 3. Differentiate between Communism and Dictatorship
One of the misconceptions people often have about Communism comes from what they have seen in the past. For the most part, the countries which set up an economic system close to communism were and are dictatorships. A true communist does not support the dictatorship of one person over the rest of the population.
Step 4. Study Marxist theory
In Marxist theory, all governments in human history have been class dictatorships, which means that the state finds itself subject to the interests of one social class. It is because of this that the communists speak of capitalism as a “dictatorship of the bourgeoisie” (the capitalists) and speak of socialism as a “dictatorship of the proletariat” (the workers).
Step 5. Learn about the main ideas of communism
Search the Internet and read books about communism. You won't change your mind just by learning more about Communism. You might be interested in the different branches of communism that do not exist as political representations in your country. Communism also shares many views which are not necessarily of great political interest. For example, communism is also concerned with environmental protection.
Part 3 of 3: discuss it healthily
Step 1. Choose your approach
When someone tries to discredit a political theory by defaming the personal life of someone who supports that theory, they resort to a method called argumentum ad hominem. This is a common fallacious argument, be careful.
Step 2. Understand your own opinions
To be able to have a good discussion, you need to be informed. Learn more about your opinions. Often times, your opinion system can be so influenced by those around you that it becomes innate. Just because you have a natural feeling towards certain opinions does not mean that you are properly informed. In addition, politics is a vast subject that can change and present new information every day.
Step 3. Listen with interest and respond without sarcasm
A discussion can quickly turn into an argument, and the best way to avoid it is to listen carefully. Just because you are listening to someone doesn't mean you agree with what they are saying. In addition, when you answer him, speak with kindness and intelligence. The nicest political analysts are those who use well-thought-out, relevant, but sarcastic phrases, both in dialogues and in monologues. However, this is only done to distract. In real life, people don't take sarcasm that can be taken as an offensive response.
Step 4. Leave out harsh judgments
If your friend is a Communist, it's not just to piss you off. If you start to feel angry during a conversation with your friend, ask yourself where the anger is coming from. Know your vulnerability to avoid certain topics. If you feel the discussion is going in a direction you don't like, stay nice and ask him to change the subject.
Step 5. Don't try to impose your opinions
The purpose of a chat with your friend is to open up your friendship and share ideas. If you start the discussion hoping that you can manipulate it and influence your friend's opinions, nothing good will come of it. Avoid thinking that you can change the way your friend sees the world. Even if you are passionate about the subject, it does not give you the right to impose your way of thinking on your friend.
Step 6. Listen to each other
Successful dialogue occurs when two individuals create new ideas together. You will only be able to create ideas and solve problems if you listen to each other. When your friend is explaining something to you, don't interrupt. Give him time and do not contradict him constantly by repeating "but, but, but", that is to say by using a word which directly denies what he has just said, as if it hadn't. not important. If you want to get along well, you need to treat each other's ideas and pretend they have real value.
Step 7. Know when to go wrong
If your discussions end in arguments all the time, something must be changed and someone must be wrong. If the chats end in the same argument all the time, there's a good chance that you or your friend are wrong in trying to manipulate the chat. Try to avoid confusing the facts with your opinions. The facts should speak for themselves whether you like it or not. It is possible to argue about opinions, which is why you should avoid getting stuck in certain topics if you feel that the discussion is too focused on individual opinions. You can admit that you are wrong. If you think that acknowledging your wrongs is some kind of defeat or concession that you are making to your friend, you should ask yourself why you keep arguing with them.
Advice
- Be kind and support each other.
- Learn to accept the political ideologies of others.
- Know that a communist and a socialist are different. If you confuse you, you might be doing something wrong, and the person would feel offended.
