A long time ago, I took a look at my friends and decided that every single one of them had something about them that I thought was just awful if not horrific. It was usually some political-type view of theirs. And I assume that I had some political views that most folks found abhorrent also.
At that point I realized that humans were extremely flawed creatures, and you can’t really expect them to be perfect or even all that good for that matter. I decided that as long as their views were not too horrible, I would keep my friends around. Mostly I just wanted them to treat me well. At the end of the day, that’s all that matters.
So I have some friends who are White nationalists, various species of fascists, anti-Semites, Nazis, anti-Black racists, severe misogynists, feminists, feminazis, anti-abortion loons, anti-drug kooks, Libertarians, fanatical Republican partisans, dittoheads, government haters, welfare haters, pot haters, extreme Muslims, homophobes, cop-haters, hardcore dopers, drug addicts, drunks, mentally ill of all sorts of varieties, suidicals, homicidals, and all sorts of other nasty things.
But really I figured at that time way back then that if I got rid of everyone I knew who had some awful view that I probably wouldn’t have any more friends. So I decided that I would keep people around as long at their politics or behavior were not too horrific. If I don’t like their politics or behavior, I just try not to talk about it.
Everybody sort of sucks at least a little bit, including probably me. Consider yourself lucky if your friends only suck a little bit! It could be worse! You have to pretty much cut your losses with human beings if you want to be social at all. Just focus on the things that you like about the person and try to ignore all the rest.
It’s called filtering.
There is a hierarchy of the shit you accept and allow. At the top are the most noxious characters and you minimize or exclude them entirely from your life. Lower down, the traits become bothersome but not excruciating.
At the bottom are your loved ones, and in some cases, they aren’t always at the bottom.
Every socially adjusted American male has had to nod and smile at least once while some other American male has said something moronic.