There's been a lot of talking about how divisive this election is and how Thanksgiving might end up with silent feuds all around the table. I blame the 1960s, which spawned the leftist slogan "the personal is political," which links personal experience with political movements -- obviously. So if you weren't a liberal, you were morally flawed. Being conservative meant you weren't just wrong, but evil.
But now today, disagreement is a novelty for many people. An 18-year-old in 2008 weaned on "The Daily Show" diet made it to age 26 without ever facing a single contrary opinion. Which is why when their bubble burst on November 8, these champions of diversity now demand complete silence. If you
dare bring up Trump in front of them, it's over.
Oddly, I haven't lost a single friend over this, because I have so few. But also, I don't talk politics beyond this table. Here's why: Live long enough and you see how little of the hysteria on either side ever really rings true. Obama was never that bad or that great and the same is probably going to go for Trump.
But cable news magnifies the friction, and Facebook delivers it from familiar faces. It's all noise that ultimately gets reabsorbed into the mundane rhythm of your daily life.
But if your friends or family don't return to the table, relax. They weren't that close to you to begin with. And that means more food for all of us.
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