It’s interesting how different this dynamic is in Australia. Our public broadcaster is doing a mini series on the US election and they have a journalist there at present. In their recent episode they were talking about how people would see them with a mic outside some public or government building, and approach them with the intention of telling them all about their voting preferences and the underlying reasons.

That’s a stark contrast to how things roll in Australia. There are actually very, very few people who I would talk to about voting preferences. For example I talk to two of my sisters in group chat multiple times a day, see them at least weekly, talk to them about health problems, stressful situations, mental health… but I wouldn’t openly ask them who they’re planning to vote for and why.

It’s socially acceptable to talk about current issues in a non-partisan way. So in the lunch room you might say “this new tax thing is fucked” but you wouldn’t say “<political leader’s> new tax policy is fucked”. If it strayed into anything remotely political I’d clam up. I wouldn’t talk politics with work colleagues, I’d sit and judge them silently.

I’m not trying to say our way is better. Maybe it would be better if people talked about things more.

In very specific industries it might be different. I think it certainly was historically. My grandfather was quite vocal in his support for our Labor party (on the left) because of their support for unions. In his workplace people would have overtly supported Labor and it would’ve been very difficult to work there if you didn’t. Ironically, he was a bit of an asshole. My grandma was pretty great, she told me after he passed away she didn’t know who to vote for anymore because she always just voted the opposite of him just to cancel out his vote.