Do donkeys and elephants get along in everyday life?

I love the Daily Show (shame on Viacom for recently IP-banning foreigners from streaming full episodes from the show's official website). Most of the show is about poking fun at American politics. More and more, the societal rift between Republicans and Democrats seems insurmountable in these bits. So is my impression true, that Republicans and Democrats, for the most parts, do not mix? Is it like a full-blown societal segregation? Education, workplace, leisure, bars, social clubs, districts, friends, maybe even family - how far does this *standing apart* go?

The current political situation in the US seems like a powderkeg to me. Is it really that untenable? Politically it sure seems like it is, but how is it for everyman's everyday? Might you not get a job because you don't share the same political beliefs as your employer? Do you avoid moving to districts dominated by the opposing party? If you meet people, when politics come up, is allegiance a potential dealbreaker? How ugly exactly do these things get?

Paint me a picture!

Tralse.

The people in charge don't get along well but I think normal people do. It kind of also depends on what part of the country you're in. It's easier to get along with people who hold differing view points on fiscal issues rather than social issues.

I can imagine that it's hard to live in a creationist-type-heavy state for people who don't see the world that way. Like borderline impossible. For example, if I had kid, I wouldn't want it exposed to that kind of worldview.

I've read some parenting advice that suggests you get kids to do what you want by making them choose between two of the exact same thing. For example, rather than telling your kid to put their pajamas on, you ask them if they want the red pair or the blue pair tonight.

I imagine that's what American politics is like.

It depends on what part of the country you are in. A liberal democrat might have a hard time living "openly" in rural Kentucky, but in most parts of the country people of different political opinions will mingle just fine. I'm a super hardcore leftist and two of my best friends are libertarians who support the republican party.

Oh, most people are totally fine in day to day life. The easiest answer is generally to just not talk about politics. Some people get noisy and arrogant about politics on social media, but they're the outliers. Being someone who attends a pretty liberal school and goes to a large church every week, I run into plenty of people from both ends of the political spectrum, but it's generally totally fine because most people don't have any reason to bring up politics in day to day life. And if politics do get brought up and people find that they disagree, often they decide pretty quickly that it's not really an issue worth fighting over. People will occasionally get their feathers ruffled when a more controversial topic is coming to poll, such as a few years ago when my state voted on gay marriage, but even that was mostly people patting themselves on the back for having the correct views and buying the correct bumper sticker.

So yeah, politicians will fight, and shows like the Daily Show will always exist to make fun of the other side and validate the beliefs of their viewers, but overall I don't see many people who have much interest in conflict.

As a donkey, I can confirm elephants like me.

Sounded like a Yahoo Answers question for a second.

Stop listening to the media. It really isn't that bad. People generally don't even talk about their political alignment due to the ill nature, and long arguments, it causes. Its a serious subject, and thus shouldn't be just played to the wind like its nothing.

I have a difficult time imagining people not getting along simply due to their political alignment.

@kindgineer: I would say that the political rift is "that bad". The past few years have seen really intense divisions between Republicans and Democrats, it's just not that bad in everyday life.

I live in an area like that and it is incredibly frustrating. It's even more frustrating when you're in a place like that with a lot of loud white Christians talking about how they are constantly under attack from every group that isn't them while they admit that they fear black people and muslims, think atheists are evil, think homosexuality is a sin, etc. I hear that bullshit almost every day in North Carolina. I don't think this is most of America though and I'm friends with some Republicans. It's the extremists in the right that are the problem and they aren't as prevalent in everyday life. Problem is the Republicans got taken over by the extremists on the right and they are in charge. The extremist right tends to vote more than the more sane populous.

I heard that thing about some big wig republican losing his seat to some teaparty-type over immigration reform recently. Apparently roughly 80% of the American populus is for reforms, but somehow the 20% rightwingers that don't want any reforms at any cost scare the established Republicans so much, that the whole Republican party has to align itself with these rightwing extremists.

We had a similar situation in Switzerland with one of its more conservative parties, so they split-up into a far-right and a middle-right party. Rightwingers get more extreme all over the world. It's a worrisome trend. Guess that isn't a viable solution with the American two-party system. Then again, Switzerland also practices Direct Democracy, so if a majority of the populus wants something, it's going to happen eventually, even on a federal level. Though even that sometimes feels like tyranny.

Still can't believe the Swiss people had a chance to legalize THC like three times already, and it didn't pass. Prohibition is reprehensible. Oh well.

does shrek and donkey really like each other

I "like" how this thread was quickly turned into a microcosm demonstrating how well liberal Democrats get along with conservative Republicans.

EDIT: I voted "Yes," by the way. I've many friends who are all across the political spectrum. Ironically, the only former friend who demanded I never speak to her again was very liberal, although not when it came to who she would interact with, it seemed...

I don't ask people about their political orientation, and they don't tell me. We get along swimmingly.

Yeah they usually do. The only time it becomes a problem is when people start talking politics at a party or something, thats why its a fairly standard unspoken rule not to talk politics or religion with people you dont know.

Plus most people aren't as extreme as you'd see on the news, daily show, or tv in general.

I answered the poll based upon the animals, not the political parties. Donkeys and Elephants are mortal enemies in the wild. Elephants usually win.

People who let their political bullshit get in the way of interpersonal relationships are shitty. That said, I'd never live in San Francisco.

As a high functioning donkey with a Ph.D, I feel like I should chime in.

Fuck all fucking elephants, buncha goddamn hippy no lives that do nothing but sit on their porch and get lit, go back to africa ya fuckin' big eared balookas.

Donkey and an elephant always struck me as weird animals to choose to represent your political party.

They should be a chupacabra and a mammoth. Yeah. And the presidential candidates have to fight to the death to win their presidency using American Gladiator sticks. But when they win they get sacrificed in a volcano with a jetpack, and have to fix the jetpack while falling (it's broken). And then if they do that they have to go lead the national war party on the Antarctic Battlegrounds. But they get to use a mech suit, cause they're the president. And whoever wins the bi-annual Antarctic Battleground gets to eat, cause there's not enough food cause it's the post-apocalypse and Antarctica is a desert now.

If you want your analogy to be more representative of modern American politics, you would ask the kid if he wants his pajamas on forward, or backward.

My youngest one just keeps screaming, "RON PAUL!" I have no idea what to do with her.

I'm afraid she's already gone, there's nothing we can do...

do people actually identify as "republicans" and "democrats" in the year of our lord 2014

I live in North Carolina and, yep, that's pretty much how it is around me, too, right down to the family around me. Most people around here don't seem to express those views in public, though, and they can generally get along if they need to. Still, if I ever have children, they will not be raised here (partly because of this, partly because of the rotten public education in this state) and I'm definitely not going to stay here all my life.

@seppli American people in general, though, don't talk about politics in regular conversation. It's not going to come up in friendly conversation with someone who you don't know too well, for instance. This is probably how we get along as a nation, but it also makes people scared to bring it up and that leads to nobody ever trying to understand the other side, which isn't really a good thing.

Religion is largely the same as politics, only the general assumption seems to be "you're Christian unless otherwise noted". Being an atheist or an agnostic bothers the religious pretty much all over the world to various extents.

America is so vast that this answer can only really be summed up by general statements and/or "it depends on where you are". We, as a nation, mostly get along by not bringing it up.

For the most part, politics isn't brought up that often in average conversation, and there's generally the assumption that there may be a killing of the mood if politics is injected into a conversation. It does get more common around election seasons, but outside of the political ads that annoy everyone, it's not too bad. Maybe some heated arguments that you move on from.

As far as everyday life, Republicans and Democrats work together all the time, and even at the highest levels of society, such political difference doesn't prevent people from mingling or even being good friends. Heck, many married couples differ on such political leanings. Businesses certainly don't have issues working with whoever, as long as it's financially beneficial.

That's the general gist of it, but as @believer258 noted, the country does vary state to state. It isn't as dramatic as country to country in Europe, but there are distinct differences in local culture between states and regions of the country.

Yet, even individual cities can have their own style in this regard. For example, I live in Texas, and while someone might be like "Oh that's the place with all the crazy conservatives and creationist folks!", that isn't really an accurate way to characterize people in the state at all. ha. There is plenty of conservative values in the state, and in the last few decades, Republicans have won a decent bit. But there's more diversity to it than many seem to believe. A big difference is simply the large cities. We have massive metroplex areas where many are more liberal than rural towns, and amongst cities, there can be rather different styles.

Dallas Fort Worth is a mega city sprawled out the size of Israel(and similar latitude. ha), and even just going to north of Dallas up near Denton you get a local culture more like Seattle. Or you go to the capital in Austin and see a rather liberal town with a lot of conservative business and political leaders. San Antonio is a beautiful town which almost feels more Latin American than traditional American, but that's part of the mix in Texas. Despite some portrayals of it as white cowboys and oil men, it's actually a majority minority state.

And even in a state where the majority certainly believes in creationism, the legislature still stopped the board of education from focusing solely on creationism. Seeing that an extreme was taking too much influence, they actually weakened what the board can do. And that's from many conservative Republicans. It's certainly a rather Republican state by technicality, but it has a history of Democratic influence, as well. The next governor's race may in fact see a Democratic woman have a chance at the top position.

Things may occasionally get heated at family dinner tables, but for the most part, Republicans and Democrats, even in a notably conservative state, get along reasonably well. Partisan politics on cable news aren't representative of Texans or most Americans. A lot of that does stem from knowing when and when not to bring up politics, but no matter the challenges, we're still Texans first, Americans, and whatever political leanings after that.

I differ a decent bit with my family and even many of my friends. One of my friends is a passionate local leader of the Tea Party, and another of my friends is on the campaign for the current leading Democratic candidate for state governor. I've shaken John McCain's hand and gone to see President Obama when he was in town.

For the majority of folks I've known, no matter how much we may believe in our personal politics, we're still families, friends, and Americans first.

@dancinginfernal said:

@video_game_king said:

@dancinginfernal said:

@video_game_king said:

I've read some parenting advice that suggests you get kids to do what you want by making them choose between two of the exact same thing. For example, rather than telling your kid to put their pajamas on, you ask them if they want the red pair or the blue pair tonight.

I imagine that's what American politics is like.

If you want your analogy to be more representative of modern American politics, you would ask the kid if he wants his pajamas on forward, or backward.

My youngest one just keeps screaming, "RON PAUL!" I have no idea what to do with her.

I'm afraid she's already gone, there's nothing we can do...

Understandable.

I must admit there are some rather compelling arguments for supporting him.

In Australia, our conservative party is called the "Liberal" Party, because they consider themselves Libertarian. Our Left-wing party is called the Labor Party.

I get along with "Liberal" supporters, even if I am a Labor person myself. I just don't talk about politics with them very much, and when it does come up we usually agree to disagree. Most conservative people I've met have just been people - not ogres, not monsters - just people, with the usual assortment of flaws. People criticize Right-wingers for being intolerant, and yes it is true that conservative ideologies are often intolerant of those who "deviate" from the "norm" (the norm being whatever they do, exclusively). But having hung out with Marxists and Socialists and even an Anarchist or two, I can tell you that they can be just as intolerant. Yes, it is terrible when the Right dehumanize and call the poor "scum", but I've spoken to some far-left wing types who think that Bankers and their whole families should be executed, that anyone with a BMW should feel the "wrath" of the proletariat and that anyone who is religious is "scum" themselves. Either side can be very nasty, either side can also be very pleasant.

I have both right wing and left wing friends. I don't have far-left or far-right friends. I don't necessarily mind what political ideology you follow, as long as it isn't extreme.

the correct answer is ..... MONEY!!!! They get along if money is involved, the end.

I do like money. Are you offering money? I'll kindly take more of that and be your friend forever.

No matter how much I agree with their politics, I find it impossible to call myself a "liberal" when their talking heads try their best to make citizens of southern states look like toothless inbreds. People are NOT homogenous, even if they reside within the same political boundaries (ie state) that some true scum fucks also inhabit. Fuck a generalizing bigot, regardless of his political affiliation. I'm talking to you Dave Lang,

uhhhhh hmmmm I spent it all on booze and color pencils already :( which I could hand your some dude

No money?

You and I are mortal enemies now.

@seppli: I dunno what kind of fuckin' acid you were on when you wrote that title, but I'll say this, now that I finally got around to finding out what the fuck you were talking about.

I don't really belong to any party. I have some very strong conservative leanings, some very strong liberal leanings, and plenty of other random directions from there. I'm the kind of guy who refuses things like punch cards at my regular dining haunts because I want to pay for what I consume. And I believe strongly in the power and purity of capitalism, when it's allowed to thrive. And I also believe in protecting myself and others with a legally and responsibly owned firearm. I believe war is sometimes, and maybe even often the answer.

I'm also gay, and believe strongly in rights for gays (duh). I think the current distribution of wealth is total bullshit, but it's because of the political system we have allowing the purity of capitalism to be muddied and screwed over. And I believe in maintaining the environment. Not in a hippy sort of way. In a healthy respect for the natural order of things sort of way. I suppose I respect nature from the perspective that a hunter might.

As a result, I have a pretty varied social group. I have some hardcore hippy vegan friends, and some super conservative ones. Pretty much the only people I don't make friends with are super overt bigots.

And in my experience people don't give a fuck. Even people who didn't agree with my orientation were, generally, not unfriendly because of it. Most people who aren't just assholes (which has nothing to do with being, uh, an elephant or a donkey?) are able to coexist just fine.

I think the media has a tendency to paint America as this place of great tension and conflict, but most people avoid conflict when they aren't staring at a screen. They respect, if nothing else, social dynamics. And I think most genuinely respect each other.

Most people just don't have the balls to be especially confrontational. Even if they believe strongly about whatever is brought up. My social groups have generally mixed just fine.

Also, there's a reason that moderates always win. The overwhelming majority of people in this country are not polarized. They find themselves somewhere in the middle.

The problem with America is that the checks and balances are being overwhelmed, not that the people are crummy. It's generally just a few jackasses like the media and politicions and overly wealthy people that screw it up. And it's mostly because they can get attention so much easier these days.

But yeah, day to day life, it's pretty okay when they mix.

Except when you take it literally. Elephants would fucking destroy donkeys.

I also can never remember which animal is which party.

hmmmm no, we both get paid by some all mighty evil corporation instead. Like we worked for led based paint that is beside a children's school and we worked on making them looks pleasant when little children have massive tumors.

Massive tumors?

I think you mean how the corporation's generous donation helped the kids "grow".

I feel like the easy answer is that no one brings politics up in conversation and people remain content, but speaking as one of "those people," my interest in the minds of others has led me to start a number of discussions about social and economic issues with friends of divergent opinion. Mostly, I've found that as long as you make it clear that you're not interested in personal attacks, declarations of morality, or playing the blame game, it can be a wonderfully enlightening exercise.

Also, nobody tell politicians, but it's not so hard to change a person's mind (or find common ground) as the voting public generally accepts it to be.

that's the spirit!!!

As an avid Daily Show watcher myself, what I'd like to know is how many republicans actually believe or buys into what Fox News is selling? How many republicans actually believe vaccinations is bad for your child and probably even causes autism? How many actually believe in the whole Bad guy with a gun vs. Good guy with a gun, arming teachers and Open Carry? How many is actually against the Affordable Care Act and believes it will lead to the downfall of America? How many denies that global warming is a thing?

If the majority of republicans are just half as bad as they're portrayed on The Daily Show, no fucking wonder "unspoken rules" about not talking politics are put in place.

I think it's worth clarifying that the roots of this "unspoken rule" are more in the American spirit of focusing on everyday life and our own business. So, you shouldn't -have- to think about politics much; the government should be enough that you can live your life, run your business, and go about your day without having to bother with it very often.

A lot of countries emphasize the government as a (if not the) central part of the country, but as far as enduring American traditions go, an emphasis on individuals and just getting to live your life and choose your own path is at the center of the country. Politics and government, for most people, will almost always come second to that.

As for your questions regarding Republicans, a lot of that isn't as scary as you may be led to believe. Though, plenty of people do enjoy Fox News(often because they don't really completely trust any news outlet but they seem the most conservative). The issue of believing that vaccinations are bad is actually a problem for liberals and conservatives alike. While not as prevalent as it once was, there is still a decent bit of people who don't trust them. In my life, I've mainly seen that from strong liberals. Socialist or anarchist folks, vegans and hippies. They seem to not trust anything that is from the government or isn't "natural". All those dastardly chemicals.

A lot of people do believe that owning a gun is important for home and personal safety; though, people big on open carry aren't as common. I live in a part of Texas where many own guns but don't take them outside of the home. I haven't heard anyone passionately believe that we need to arm teachers, but I have heard some people say it's something to look into. There are a lot of people against Obamacare; though, many are coming around on it. I haven't personally heard anyone seriously say that it will destroy the nation, but I have heard people worried that it will hurt the health care system or add to the national debt. And then the national debt might sink the nation. So, that's tangential, I suppose.

Belief that climate change is occurring is relatively common and rising, but there is still considerable debate amongst people over whether it's mostly man-made, partially man-made, or unrelated to human activity. People are concerned that the government could hurt businesses and their families over something that isn't actually their fault or something preventable. Opinion is moving toward greater acceptance though.

Hope that helps. I live in a mostly conservative with a little liberal community near Dallas, Texas, and while these feelings may vary quite a bit from state to state and region to region, I think that's generally reflective of what I have seen with Republican friends, family, and acquaintances. :)

@truthtellah: Thanks man, I guess that's somewhat comforting:)

This thread got quite long so sorry if this has been brought up as to the growing segregation of Republican and Democratic politicians, even though this topic is about civilian life. I read about the growing dissent between our politicians sometime ago and the writer brought up how politicians behaved now versus back then.

Back in the early days before modern transportation such as buses and especially planes. Our Senaters and Cogressmen all had to live at Washington DC. Since that was where they worked, they brought over their families with them. And DC is quite a small city even today. So these politicians ran into each other all-the-time outside the capital building. Inside the capital building that North Carolina senator was a hard ass, but outside he was someone else completely, someone you can respect. They drank together, ate together, would party together. Their families and kids played and picnicked together as well.

So our politicians all knew each other and developed friendships with each other. But that all changed when transportation evolved into what we had today. Planes have made commutes so much easier. So now our politicians reside in their home state and commute to DC. And when they're not working in the capital building they travel back to their families. So now our politicians only interaction with each other is in the heated battleroom that is our congress/ senate where tensions are constantly high. Grudges form and now that senator from North Carolina is just some schmuck you have to deal with for a couple of hours a week. He might as well be a raid boss and not a human being.

So while we have taken advantage of modern comforts we had sacrificed the very concept of human interactions. We have devided ourselves up into our own communities and exiled all others as strangers. That I feel is a big reason why our politicians today are so much more at odds than ever before.

Nobody likes an ass.

I heard a report (also on NPR) that political allegiance, while previously not very important, is now a very strong predictor of relationship success (in the US). I voted yes because I thought this was about animals.

I know that with my (relatively few) republican friends, my ability to coexist with them is highly contingent on the infrequency with which we speak - once we have spoken often enough to get past all the 'how are you doings' it's more or less inevitable that some political remark will come up. Even if I don't start an argument about it, my disagreement is tacitly noticed and adds to the level of tension.

I honestly thought that OP was talking about real life donkeys and elephants.

In which case... maybe?

Are you a real person? Have you ever read a history book?

I was going to comment about a documentary I saw once about animals in Africa but I guess I won't anymore.