I called up a close friend today to catch up and our conversation ended abruptly within 10 minutes with both of us doing the smartphone-equivalent of slamming the phone down. The reason: politics. One stray comment led to another and soon we were shouting over the line. I am aware of his political views, which have shifted from centre-right to the centre in recent years and I wasn't gunning for an argument. But what got my goat was his equating the far-right with the far left.
Finally, I told him that it was no use talking if he was going to shout at me, and the conversation ended with me telling him to F*#$ off.
Maybe this pandemic has been more stressful on me than I thought. I didn't know I had so much rage bubbling under a relatively calm exterior. I also have some thoughts on the male-friends dynamic here and how arguments can escalate quickly due to too much testosterone (at the risk of essentializing) but I will save those for another day. Right now, I think the lesson is this is a tough time for everyone and its best to cut people slack. There is nothing easier than burning bridges in the heat of the moment. But, now is the time to nurture connections, not sequester yourself from imperfect relationships.
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