The Etiquette of Talking Politics, With Emily Post’s Great-Great-Granddaughter

With the 2012 presidential election slowly creeping over the horizon, everyone’s blabbing about politics, and YouTube channel epipheo doesn’t think anyone’s being particularly nice about about it.

So, to help avoid unnecessary fighting, Epipheo talked to “the foremost authority on etiquette,” Anna Post, Emily Post’s great-great-granddaughter and co-author of Emily Post’s Etiquette, 18th edition.

And it turns out, being nice is a lot of work! Here are some of Anna’s tips to consider:

1. Is it the right time and place? Don’t intentionally start controversy at a wedding or holiday celebration.
2. Don’t assume that everyone you’re talking to agrees with you. Be willing to listen and learn.
3. Stick to the facts if you’re stuck in a heated debate. Also, be willing to swallow the last word.

“In Etiquette we talk a lot about being respectful, considerate, and honest with people,” Anna says. “Those are tools you can use to bridge those differences. I do think there’s more middle ground than we realize and ways to talk about it.”