Americans and Brits and discussions about politics

This could just have to do with me and the people I know (I know that I shouldn't generalise) but I wonder if anyone has noticed anything similar.

I have Facebook friends in America and Facebook friends in the UK. My American Facebook friends are always talking about politics.  (Sometimes I agree with them; sometimes I don't.) They have long discussions/debates about various, specific political issues - gay marriage, healthcare, the economy, etc. They are constantly linking  to news articles and web pages, including Youtube videos, that have a political message. When I lived in the US, I took part in long political discussions with people face to face.

Here in the UK, the only time I have ever heard anyone I know discuss politics, either on Facebook or in person, was before the general election, and not much more was said than, "I hate the Tories. I hope they lose."

Is it just these people, or has anyone else noticed that Americans seem to discuss politics more openly, and in more detail, than Brits?

On the whole I have noticed this.  But I had a much larger social and work circle in the US which was filled with lots of left-wing, liberal educated type people, so my experience is a bit skewed, I think.

My British MIL always wants to talk about politics, but since she's a rabid Thatcherite I generally just walk out of the room when she starts.

The women in my book club usually wind up talking a bit about politics, but we're all lefties so that's much more fun!

However, aside from my book club friends, a good number of people I know in the UK are Tories. And, out of good manners, we just don't discuss politics with each other since we're generally on different sides of the fence. My MIL doesn't have good manners. 

I think it depends on who you are talking to.

For example, my fiance is big into politics, and he could talk to you for hours on end about policies and big names in the news.

I am a student, and I find that politics is big news in a university setting because so much of what the government does affects us that are in the UK education system. So I find that with students or people who were recently students, I can talk a lot more about politics, whereas some of the older generation seem to have one party they have always like and always voted for, and that's the way it is. No discussion.

I think Americans have always been a little more "loud" about their political ideals (which can get us into trouble sometimes!) - we are more inclined to complain about our government than to just work with what we have. I think Brits are just a little more quiet about it, that's all.

Interesting as I have noticed this as well. Not saying that is a difference between Brits and Americans, however my US friends, whether or not they're specialty is politics, seem to enjoy taking a part in the discussion. My daily updates from them usually include videos, articles, topics for discussion, etc. Again, interestingly enough, 99% of my friends in the UK do a politics related course but don't seem to chat about it too much. 

As Lal said about Americans being louder, perhaps the other side is due to the notorious British reserve Honestly, it depends on the openness of the person, regardless of the nationality. Though in my experience, the topics my US friends and me are open about is generally not the case with my British friends.

However, whenever I do speak about politics, I have had the problem of people twisting my words. Like once, I mentioned that the increase of BNP supporters is possibly due to people's annoyance with mainstream catch-all parties and not necessarily racism. However, one person in my group asked me, with disgust, if I supported the BNP. I certainly don't think mentioning the BNP means that I support them. Before anyone asks, no I don't support them. I would find it a little silly to support an anti-immigration party what with being a foreigner and all

My daily updates from them usually include videos, articles, topics for discussion, etc.

I get a lot of political videos, etc. on FB from my American friends but, beyond that, there's not really much serious discussion. And, honestly, I don't think most of the people who post stuff like that have any idea of the real underlying issues. It's not hard to send a funny picture to people, but it doesn't mean you're politically aware.

I'm not saying that your friends are like that, rynn_aka_rae, but many of my acquaintances (not so much my real friends) are.

Another thing is that I think people seem to get more impassioned about American politics because it tends to interfere with people's personal lives a lot more than British politics. There's a lot of religion, personal freedom, etc. tied up with American politics and (thankfully) we don't get that here.

I only have 1 US Friend that is big into politics. She is Conservative Republican and has been campaign manager for a few Senators in the state that she lives in. She's always putting out political posts, convention dates & video's. I'm glad she's passionate about her views and I don't necessairly disagree with them either, but I grew up in a household that your political views were your personal views, just like your religious views and under no circumstances should you try to push your views on anyone else, which is why I find her fervor a little off putting. Which is also why I stay away from religious & political discussions...my personal views are my own and I don't have to defend, justify or push them onto anyone.

I don't find that where I live in the UK is much more different, in terms of discussing politics & such, than where I grew up.

So I don't think it's the where but the who, the type of people you tend to socialize with.

as a brit, I grew up with a father who is a lifelong Labour party member, an active trade unionist, and at one point secretary of his local union.  We discussed politics an awful lot.

myself, my political views were so different from basically anyone I worked with in the US that I essentially chose not to discuss them because it was easier than having to explain them to everyone.

I think there's also a difference between how much someone will talk about politics online (on the internet nobody knows you're a capitalist running dog), and in person.  I talk about politics very little in person with acquaintances, and an awful lot online.

I think there's also a difference between how much someone will talk about politics online (on the internet nobody knows you're a capitalist running dog), and in person. 

Exactly.

I'm sure my group of friends are outliers, but we discuss politics CONSTANTLY, both my UK friends and my US ones. My UK friends will also frequently gamble on politics, and all of them spend a lot of time on political blogs, reading newspapers, and generally chatting about it.  Both the recent US presidential election and the UK one were fascinating for us as a group. Plus, we are a mix of hard-core libertarians and bleeding-heart liberals, so the discussions can become quite heated, and often resemble contests of one-liners.
That said, we know we are out of the norm.

Which is also why I stay away from religious & political discussions...my personal views are my own and I don't have to defend, justify or push them onto anyone.

THIS!

I was always told never to discuss religion/politics in mixed company because wow it can cause some major discussions that may not always end nice.  My dad is a die hard liberal dem...put it this way when Bush won the 2nd time my dad and GF moved to Amsterdam b/c he didnt want to be in the US anymore (he is back now).  My dad stood outside the movie's and paid people to go in and see Michael Moore's movies HA
My Aunt is a lawyer in San Fran for family rights and happens to be gay and was married by the mayor and is VERY involved and see posts loads of stuff!
I think I have finally convinced my family to stop preaching to me as I have my own mind (whether I agree with them or not) I don't go shouting it to start a fight.

Now HERE don't get DH started on "how Thatcher ruined the UK" he won't stop lol
We do have some lively discussion but since I don't know tons of history of the UK I don't always have lots to add.

I think FB is an outlet to spark some general discussion if done with finesse but to just rant to rant...Nah I wouldnt have time for that.

Your Dad sounds awesome JennBean!  Your Aunt sounds pretty cool, too!

A lot of my friends in the UK are fairly politically involved though, thinking about it more closely, it could just be that a couple of my friends here in the UK are very politically involved and the rest get painted (tarred?) with the same brush 

One thing I have noticed is that my British friends pay a lot more attention to American politics than my American friends pay to British ones. The super political Americans pay attention to the Brit stuff but even the only mildly involved British ones comment on American politics.

My British MIL always wants to talk about politics, but since she's a rabid Thatcherite I on different sides of the fence. My MIL doesn't have good manners.  

I think this is it.

My American friends and I don't think there is anything impolite about expressing an opposing political viewpoint (or an opposing religious viewpoint, for that matter), as long as you don't use foul language, make personal attacks, etc.

It's hard for me to see how someone could be personally offended if I said that I didn't agree with them on a political issue and explained why in a calm, rational way. We're all entitled to our opinions.

There was another thread here about British people making comments about the age at which people got married, whether they planned to have children, etc., all of which my American friends would think of as rude personal questions.

Different cultures.

It's hard for me to see how someone could be personally offended if I said that I didn't agree with them on a political issue and explained why in a calm, rational way. We're all entitled to our opinions.

I was always taught that it's bad manners to discuss politics or religion. Obviously, there are times when it's OK, but not just over dinner or having a cup of tea at someone's house.