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Full Time, All the Time
with Britt and Robyn
I'm Britt. I work full time as a mom, wife, blogger and salesperson with a fancy management title. And I'm Robyn. I work as a project manager and between corporate meetings manage to cook a home-made meal every day. This blog is about our experiences of juggling full-time work with family.
Check out our personal blogs:
Miss Britt and Who's the Boss?
Let’s face it: here in the United States, the last few Presidential elections have had their share of drama; however, this year, this campaign seems to have taken the cake. It appears everyone has an opinion on one party or another, one candidate or another, one candidate’s running mate, or another. I don’t think I’ve had one conversation in the past few months when the subject hasn’t turned to the upcoming election within 5 minutes. Even my four-year-old daughter can identify John McCain or Barack Obama any time one of them appears on our television screen.
The seduction of politics-talk also holds true, of course, at the office: everyone, but everyone is talking about the latest news item related to either political candidate. But while I’m usually a lively participant in political banter, I stay positively mum at the office. Why? Because I work at a conservative company that services the oil industry. The majority of management are decidedly conservative here in our red state of Texas, and I’m decidedly liberal. And while it wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to guess who I’ll be voting for in the upcoming election, I’ve decided that the, well, most politic behaviour to exhibit at the office is one of restraint. While I don’t feel the need to hide my beliefs, I don’t think I need to advertise them, either, you know?
What about you? Do you tend to talk about politics (or religion, or any other controversial subject) in the office? Or are you, like me, more likely just to smile politely and change the subject?
How you feel at the office is how I feel on the Internet. Libertarians don’t get a lot of love out there.
mommyneedsabusiness | October 1st, 2008 at 8:20 am
I try to stay mum, mostly because I’ve always felt I was surrounded by very vocal conservatives, even though I’m in the generally liberal advertising field. In my experience though, it only takes one vocal supporter (left or right) to feel surrounded and uncomfortable.
Brenda | October 2nd, 2008 at 8:50 am
I have to bite my tongue so much at work that it is virtually bleeding at this point. I work in a very conservative workplace and live in a predominantly conservative area. I feel like a fish swimming against the current.
Darcie | October 2nd, 2008 at 1:39 pm
I agree. I stay away from political talk - professionally and personally. During the last election, a group of my friends got into a very heated debate which resulted in hurt feelings and fractured relationships. Everyone is entitled to their opinions and no one should be told that they are wrong. How can an opinion be right or wrong???
Jill Frank | October 2nd, 2008 at 3:36 pm
I tend to engage in the more objective discussion of economic and political events at the office while scrupulously pretending that my officemates and I are all from another planet with no actual personal investment in any of it.
It’s my goal for us to be a politically neutral environment where everyone feels comfortable. It’s tacitly acknowledged that we all have opinions but they don’t need to be shared here — they’re a private matter.
Emily | October 3rd, 2008 at 12:54 pm
it is so hard to avoid in my office as the reception area that we must walk through to get to the elevators has a HUGE TV with 24hr. news. so folks tend to stop and make comments on the latest breaking whatever.
I try to stay quiet, though i do speak freely with trusted co-workers who are also friends. it’s usually a welcome rush of ‘omg i am so glad we can say this outloud can you believe xyz this that and the other’
Kate | October 3rd, 2008 at 2:58 pm
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