How connecting with someone can change their political beliefs.

[BoycottTwitter]

I saw this article awhile ago but recently thought of it again and re-read it and thought it was really good. I noticed it wasn't posted before so I wanted to share it with everyone.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/may/18/change-mind-evidence-arguing-social-relationships

This is the most important point of the article:

A sea of evidence demonstrates that our friends have the power to change our beliefs and behaviour – not by arguing with us, but simply by being around us or showing us new ways of living. Studies on social contact theory show that when people are set up in conditions to become friends and collaborate, they become less prejudiced against the identity groups their new friends belong to. This phenomenon probably explains many of the advances in gay rights over the past few decades: as people came out, their friends changed their views on homosexuality, resulting in one of the fastest ever recorded shifts in public opinion. Similarly, research shows people are most likely to engage in climate-friendly action (such as installing a heat pump), if their friends do – far more likely than if they are given cash rewards or other kinds of incentives. Our friends broaden our field of concern; they get us involved in the world, and they build the trust that human beings appear to require to open up to new ideas. Their indirect influence achieves more than arguments, especially from strangers, ever could. In other words: when it comes to persuasion, it’s not the conversation, it’s the relationship.

I personally experienced this when I've met some immigrants and they told me their story about how difficult immigration is. Things like what it's like to move away from home and how restrictive the system actually is (college visas have a lot of restrictions on working) They weren't trying to persuade me of anything or change my beliefs, they were simply sharing their stories and yet it made me have a lot more empathy and understand for immigrants and resulted in me changing my views on immigration.

The article reminds me of a famous quote commonly attributed to Abraham Lincoln (that actually might be from someone else or worded differently) but it commonly goes like this "I Destroy My Enemies When I Make Them My Friends".

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Thanks for your enlightened post, my dear BoycottTwitter!

This sentence jumped out at me. It seems to highlight the central idea of what works in building confidence in new ideas:

Our friends broaden our field of concern; they get us involved in the world, and they build the trust that human beings appear to require to open up to new ideas.

This is so very important!

[Alice B.]

2. I love this. And have long felt that the best advocacy we can do for our side is to...

... just show up every day as a decent person, live our values, and not be a d*** to others.