I'm a non traditional student (meaning older student) at a major liberal university. So it's kind of hard to make friends as it is. In most cases depending on someone's age, it would be kind of weird anyways. I tend to keep to myself since I'm not in the habit of befriending 19 year olds. So, if I meet anyone older than 21, with a little life experience, and who is a cool person, it's quite refreshing to chat. Today I met someone who seems like a genuinely cool person. Although their politics were immediately made known to me as so many are eager to do today for some reason (by a few of their comments, how they identify, etc.) and it doesn't bother me. I spoke with someone who I know I absolutely disagree with politically in every sense, and I genuinely had a great time talking with them and learning about them. I don't care if they think they are someone/thing else, or if they hate President Trump. I disagree with them, but I'm capable of viewing them as a person beyond their politics. But as great as a time we had chatting, a sad thought entered my brain and tainted the positive feeling. If sensitive topics come up for me to disclose my positioning, there is a good chance they will decide to cease interacting with me. So there is this tainted feeling for all human and community interactions for people like us. We can either avoid certain subjects to keep some beliefs hidden to keep the peace, or we can be ourselves without limitation enabling the other party to react childishly and "run away" from basic decency. Of course I could be wrong about this person. I hope that I'm wrong about thinking this as a possibility. I'd like to continue to know this person. But it's not an unfounded concern we have today. It's happened to me and others like me countless times since 2016. Even with friends I had for years prior to the election. I had one friend disassociate with me just for defending PewDiePie against the New York Times! That's how insane some in our society have become! It gets me thinking of how our entire society has changed. Some politics today are capable of brainwashing certain people to have a "Join us or die" mentality. In the end, I'm not entirely sure what this post was about, other than to lament about the sad state of affairs our country is in socially, and how on edge it makes everyone on both sides of the political spectrum. I'll continue to chat with this person and I won't intentionally rock the boat, but I'm not going to lie if they ask me a direct question. Although I'll hope they will be capable of looking past whatever politics of mine they disagree with like I can with theirs. Hopefully in the future this concern or thought will be less common in our communities.