Why do so many right-wingers irritate us (rational) folks with their political opinions?

[silverweb]

2. They need validation.

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]I've pondered this point for years, especially with regard to a pair of relatives. They simply cannot agree to disagree but feel the need to hammer me with their talking points at every opportunity, which they call a "discussion."

My conclusion is that the reason they can't just leave it alone is that they're still unhappy because they need validation. I won't listen to them, I won't "debate" with them, I won't accept their sources of information (Fox, Limbaugh, Beck, WSJ Opinion, etc), and I won't explain myself to them. I won't validate them by even acknowledging their talking points and they can't stand it.

Just tell them that multiple studies show neither of you will convert the other, so to stop wasting their time. When they persist, leave. It works, if only temporarily. They can't continue yammering if you've walked out.

On Edit: Here's another very basic reason why trying to "discuss" or "debate" with a RWer is beyond futile: Conservatives make up "facts". How do you "discuss" with a liar?