Maybe a different religion, or especially political beliefs seems to be a big deal-breaker. Do you still find it worthwhile to keep them in your life?
I do. I have e.g. Christian Conservative friends, and Atheist Liberal ones, etc. I enjoy each one for what they are. I mean, nobody is perfect! (like me 😁)
Just FYI, most of us left wingers are not like that. It does help listening to people.
The important thing imo is finding common ground. Keeping an open mind, but with firm boundaries: as long as both sides can agree on being civil to each other, and protecting human rights and liberty. Do not ever yield from those, however the other might try.
As long as that applies, I don’t see why one couldn’t be friends, or at least acquaintances.
But that said, this has become increasingly more difficult. It feels odd to ask this, but I figure it’d be best to ask from your side - you might know more. Maybe you have experience, maybe not.
When talking to far right wing people, what would you say helps best in deradicalising them? And when talking to right wing people, what would help them in seeing my point? The great rift of polarisation due to the growth of the far right I see currently in the world, is a danger to democracy. So I would like to do my best to reduce that.
I wouldn’t consider myself far right. But the few family members that I still attempt to talk to its help to realize that in their eyes(even if it isn’t the truth) their overall quality of life has decreased while people they disagree with have seen an increase in overall QoL. Now, a non-emotional look at that situation doesn’t suggest that one causes the other, but they perceive it that way. I believe that one of the first things that need to be done is showing/convincing them that just because those they don’t like are enjoying some time in the sun, it isn’t the cause of their current bad time.
Another, perhaps harder to accomplish, things that needs to happen for the mid to far right to come back to the table is realizing that holding on to traditions does not mean reverting to the past. As an example, I believe family units are the backbone of our society and are important to the development of the next generation. I do not care if the parents are heterosexual or homosexual or something else as long as they love their children, raise them to be cognisant of the laws and social contracts we have, and treat them well.
At the end of the day, right or left, as long as we are all trying to get to a place where our fellow countrymen are safe, happy, and able to provide for themselves I don’t mind if we bicker about which road to take to get there. And I’ll always back good faith compromise over either side getting its way unopposed.