WASHINGTON — Want to have a happy holiday season? Avoid talking about politics.
An NBC-Wall Street Journal poll found that 48 percent of Americans said a family member or friend had shared a false news story with them, a story the friend or family member thought was true.
Nearly one-third said that over the past year they had avoided talking politics with a family member because of differences in political opinions.
Nearly the same percentage had engaged in a heated argument with friends or family about the election.
Social media was no refuge, the Dec. 12-15 poll found. Twenty-two percent said they had been harassed for their political beliefs, and 17 percent had blocked or unfriended someone because of the campaign.
Then again, few seemed passionate about their candidates to begin with. The poll found that 31 percent “were excited about a presidential candidate for the first time.”
The political polarization persists. Forty percent said they had very or somewhat positive views of President-elect Donald Trump, while 46 percent reported somewhat or very negative views of the next president.
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