What are your thoughts on discussing politics in the MDR?

[clo]

17 hours ago, sparks1093 said:

We've faced many of the same or similar issues in my lifetime and no one has solved them yet.

That's why over the last few years I 'get rid' of those people. 

[ldubs]

7 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Some just can't resist the urge to proselytize. If you tell them you're not that into politics, it's like bait to them -- they rush in, anxious to convert you to their way of thinking.

 

 

Seems there is a heavy dose of confirmation bias on both extremes.  

[Kristelle]

4 hours ago, K32682 said:

 

It's not a bad question but don't press if you get a vague answer in response. 

 

 

well yes of course - but that goes for any question or conversation topic.

[ilikeanswers]

9 hours ago, ldubs said:

Seems there is a heavy dose of confirmation bias on both extremes.  

 

Extremists aren't usually great conversationalists😜. In my experience they are generally uninformed about the topic that is suppose to be their passion and just quote Tweets (or is it Xs now?) and memes shared on a chat room. If someone's educational resource is a meme I am not discussing anything with them let alone politics😂. 

[Elaine5715]

12 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

This can lead to speculation - preferring discussing politics with strangers to mentioning your profession is unusual.  Drug runner, mob hit man, undercover foreign agent as well as other, less savory, fields of endeavor come to mind.

I can live with that

[BklynBoy8]

21 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

Any loud argument at a nearby table would be bothersome.  Otherwise, I wouldn't pay any attention.  

Idubs

Didn't bother us just noticeable.

 

Anyone wants to raise voice for fun, no problem.  Suppose to have fun.

 

But strong points can lead to escalation and disturbance.

 

On several sailings ago, WOW disturbance half the Princess Grill away table of 4 sounded like a table of 10.

 

Best to enjoy with a deaf ear and enjoy your company.

[Charles4515]

On 1/28/2024 at 7:49 AM, K32682 said:

I'm not an American. When on a cruise I am on vacation. I have little or no interest in being subjected to a tedious discussion on the American political situation. Please keep them off the dinner table.

 

I'd also appreciate if you didn't discuss race, gun control, religion, reproductive rights, immigration and other subjects on which Americans often strongly. I feel strongly about them too and might be tempted to square off. 

Usually I have found that it is Canadians and Europeans who bring up those questions about American politics. They are curious but some think we all carry guns or etc. etc. 

[JimmyTheSaint]

I have a very firm rule of no discussion with strangers about politics and religion. When I'm on vacation I'm there to switch off, get away from stuff like that, try and get on with the strangers I'm sharing a cruise ship with and hopefully make some new friends. Politics and religion tend to get in the way of that.

[Hlitner]

19 hours ago, Kristelle said:

 

is what do you/did you do for a living a bad question??

 

When meeting people on vacation or day trips or anywhere this seems a common  ice breaker question to me - have been asked that many times and never thought it or found it problematic for anyone.

It apparently depends on one's particular home country/culture,  For example, most Americans are used to handling questions about work, but we have found that many Europeans are uncomfortable discussing that topic with strangers.  After 50+ years of extensive travel we have learned not to bring-up work-related questions until we get to know the person.  When we started cruising on the small ship luxury lines (where most passengers obviously have some money/success) we often found that we spent many hours chatting with others before anyone brought up work.

 

On Princess we once made friends with another couple and hung out with them for several evenings before we ever talked about work.  It turned out that our new friend was a retired Police Officer who told us he had learned to not talk about it since it made some folks uncomfortable.  On another cruise we met an active FBI Special Agent who told us that many folks were scared-off when they found out his profession :).  

 

By the way, I once had some fun on Seabourn when another asked what kind of work I did and I responded, "garbage man."  He turned out to be a Hollywood Producer and we became quite friendly on the long cruise.   On one cruise, shortly after we retired, an obviously intoxicated passenger asked DW what "she did."  Without missing a beat she responded "I play."  That answer got a lot of laughs from others :).

 

Hank

[donaldsc]

28 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

It apparently depends on one's particular home country/culture,  For example, most Americans are used to handling questions about work, but we have found that many Europeans are uncomfortable discussing that topic with strangers.  After 50+ years of extensive travel we have learned not to bring-up work-related questions until we get to know the person.  When we started cruising on the small ship luxury lines (where most passengers obviously have some money/success) we often found that we spent many hours chatting with others before anyone brought up work.

 

On Princess we once made friends with another couple and hung out with them for several evenings before we ever talked about work.  It turned out that our new friend was a retired Police Officer who told us he had learned to not talk about it since it made some folks uncomfortable.  On another cruise we met an active FBI Special Agent who told us that many folks were scared-off when they found out his profession :).  

 

By the way, I once had some fun on Seabourn when another asked what kind of work I did and I responded, "garbage man."  He turned out to be a Hollywood Producer and we became quite friendly on the long cruise.   On one cruise, shortly after we retired, an obviously intoxicated passenger asked DW what "she did."  Without missing a beat she responded "I play."  That answer got a lot of laughs from others :).

 

Hank

 

My wife worked in the nuclear field and she had a significant security clearance level.  Basically she was not allowed to discuss exactly what she was doing at any time with anyone including me.  Her answer to what her job was would be either made up or "I am not allowed to tell you" depending upon her mood at the time.  In my case I was the laboratory manager at the Las Vegas wastewater treatment plant.  I was tempted to respond w "I work with s**t" when asked.  

 

DON

[Charles4515]

34 minutes ago, donaldsc said:

 

My wife worked in the nuclear field and she had a significant security clearance level.  Basically she was not allowed to discuss exactly what she was doing at any time with anyone including me.  Her answer to what her job was would be either made up or "I am not allowed to tell you" depending upon her mood at the time.  In my case I was the laboratory manager at the Las Vegas wastewater treatment plant.  I was tempted to respond w "I work with s**t" when asked.  

 

DON

I didn’t like to talk about work for two reasons, one because I was on vacation and wanted not to think about it. The second reason is there are a lot of “ fans” hobbyists, etc. and it was tiring answering questions. 

[Mike981]

Politics, religion and parenting, NOPE.

[Ferry_Watcher]

I don’t recommend talking politics at the dining table, and I also don’t recommend asking a Brit about Harry & Meghan.  Just don’t!  ;  )

[frantic36]

18 hours ago, Kristelle said:

Must be a cultural thing then.

I've never come across anyone felling it is uneccesarily intrusive - is a simple getting to know you question

 

Not necessarily a cultural thing. My husband is Australian and is a private person and prefers not to be asked or give an answer to what he does. As others mention we prefer to discuss travel related topics like places we have been or want to go, food etc.

[Kristelle]

33 minutes ago, frantic36 said:

 

Not necessarily a cultural thing. My husband is Australian and is a private person and prefers not to be asked or give an answer to what he does. As others mention we prefer to discuss travel related topics like places we have been or want to go, food etc.

 

 

well yes  I guess everyone might have their preferences for topic conversations

 

Nevertheless I have certainly found 'what do you do for a living' to be a very common ice breaker and none that anyone has ever seemed to take offence to.

 

There might be people who prefer not to talk about their families, their past travel etc either - but one starts ice breaking and getting to know you somewhere.

so, I think a cultural thing in that Australians consider that a reasonable starting point question.

Edited January 29 by Kristelle
typo

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

I don’t recommend talking politics at the dining table, and I also don’t recommend asking a Brit about Harry & Meghan.  Just don’t!  ;  )

If other passengers ask you about your job, and you tell them that you are one of the ones checking them in when they cruise, I bet they ask you for stories.

[clo]

3 hours ago, donaldsc said:

"I am not allowed to tell you"

Or "I could tell you but then I'd have to kill you."

[GeezerCouple]

2 hours ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

I don’t recommend talking politics at the dining table, and I also don’t recommend asking a Brit about Harry & Meghan.  Just don’t!  ;  )

 

Uh, why ask *anyone* "about Harry & Meghan"?

I'm happy to let them be left alone, and, importantly, I'm even more happy not needing to get involved in a discussion about them... and especially with strangers.

 

We'd rather not get involved in discussing specific people at all if the purpose is just gossip.

Yeah, I guess maybe it's better that we prefer 2-tops for our meals, eh? 😉 

 

GC

[Ferry_Watcher]

1 hour ago, ontheweb said:

If other passengers ask you about your job, and you tell them that you are one of the ones checking them in when they cruise, I bet they ask you for stories.

I am very selective with who and what I share regarding working at a cruise home port.  Sometimes I just smile and nod.   ;  )

[Ferry_Watcher]

29 minutes ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

Uh, why ask *anyone* "about Harry & Meghan"?

I'm happy to let them be left alone, and, importantly, I'm even more happy not needing to get involved in a discussion about them... and especially with strangers.

 

We'd rather not get involved in discussing specific people at all if the purpose is just gossip.

Yeah, I guess maybe it's better that we prefer 2-tops for our meals, eh? 😉 

 

GC

I didn’t ask the Brit about their thoughts about Harry & Meghan, but I unfortunately was seated nearby and had to listen to a laundry list of how awful they (H&M) were, how awful Harry’s book was, etc.  I also overheard an Aussie being asked about H&M and they were not complimentary either.  I made a note-to-self to never ask anyone from the British Empire their thoughts on Harry & Meghan.       ;  )

[cruisemom42]

44 minutes ago, GeezerCouple said:

We'd rather not get involved in discussing specific people at all if the purpose is just gossip.

 

Well, I wouldn't go that far. Sometimes gossip related to celebrities/well known figures in the public eye can be amusing light conversation.

 

As Alice Roosevelt Longworth is credited with saying, "If you don't have anything good to say about anyone, come sit by me."

 

 

[clo]

8 minutes ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

I didn’t ask the Brit about their thoughts about Harry & Meghan, but I unfortunately was seated nearby and had to listen to a laundry list of how awful they (H&M) were, how awful Harry’s book was, etc.  I also overheard an Aussie being asked about H&M and they were not complimentary either.  I made a note-to-self to never ask anyone from the British Empire their thoughts on Harry & Meghan.       ;  )

I don't want to hear about them here in the US. Ugh.

[ilikeanswers]

12 minutes ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

I didn’t ask the Brit about their thoughts about Harry & Meghan, but I unfortunately was seated nearby and had to listen to a laundry list of how awful they (H&M) were, how awful Harry’s book was, etc.  I also overheard an Aussie being asked about H&M and they were not complimentary either.  I made a note-to-self to never ask anyone from the British Empire their thoughts on Harry & Meghan.       ;  )

 

As someone from the British Empire if you brought up Harry & Meghan I honestly would not mind. We are not all obsessively hating them😂. I enjoy talking about pop culture. It doesn't rile me up the way it does some people. 

[Charles4515]

6 minutes ago, clo said:

I don't want to hear about them here in the US. Ugh.

It would not occur to me to ask about them. I have no interest in them or what Brits think about them. 

[Hlitner]

Perhaps the new topic to be avoided is Taylor Swift :).