People learned long ago that engaging in full-blown discussions at work and in the office about sex, religion, and politics is a very sensitive area. They are bound to always end up going in the wrong direction (by this I mean big disagreement). The fact of this is because you can offend a colleague or enter into a disproportionate discussion.
Below are some facts why talking about these kinds of topics can be a very dangerous approach.
First of all, if you don’t want to get into a discussion within a group discussion, don’t just say silence. The saying that silence is golden is not necessarily true for this occasion, as some people may feel that you agree with some aspects if you don’t open up and speak up. The best thing to do in all honesty is to walk out of the room, but if you’re stuck, you need to make your feelings clear that you don’t want to be a part of the conflict.
When people talk about politics, especially if they are extremist in nature, they tend to get angry. Therefore, avoiding any discussion of politics in the workplace would be the best bet, as team spirit has the potential to be broken by a wave of insults. The only thing that can end up happening once team spirit is broken is that the job is not completed to your full satisfaction.
Even if you agree in your discussions and are on the same wavelength, this can still spell a recipe for disaster. You may be heard or understood by a different variety of other characters. Which could ultimately end his career quickly.
Political and religious talks don’t really qualify as discussions, because people don’t want to talk, they just want to constantly express their views. Many of these supposed discussions always end badly. It will lead to a lot of hard feelings even after the conversation is over.
My final point would be, you’re at work to work and that’s it. Unless you get paid to discuss these topics, which is highly unlikely, I would stay well away, because in addition to being on the wrong side of your colleagues, you may very well upset your boss, who may decide to put you out of business.
