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Given that I'm in my thirties, I'm not exactly in the audience being discussed here. But I've become skilled at lying about politics to my small-town coworkers and my older relatives. Telling someone the truth means I respect them enough to take the risk.

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Why lie? What's wrong with just saying that you prefer not to talk about politics and refusing to express any opinion? That's what I do with coworkers who insist on trying to engage me in political topics (regardless of whether or not I agree with them.) I have a longstanding policy of never talking about politics or religion in the workplace. There be dragons.

I get forced into political (and yes, religious) conversations. I avoid when I can, but sometimes it's less of a drive-by political swipe and more of a head-on collision into that load of toxic sludge. My coworkers feel comfortable forcing others into those conversations since everyone they spend time with seems to agree. Those that don't get socially shunned. They don't always tolerate silence either, so I find ways to work with them.

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