For context, we're both past the 30-year mark, with myself in my mids and him pushing 40. We've known each other from Uni, have been best friends since, and the entire thing pretty much turned into a siblinghood, with his family sort of "adopting" me (I'm perpetually invited to all of their family events and gatherings, his parents love having me around, etc.) We've been there for eachother through some of our worst times, and we got along really well.
That is, until the Pandemic hit. This has been going on for a while now, but it started getting more pronounced during the Pandemic, when he went from sharing edgy memes to expressing belief in the principles behind those memes (think "I identify as an attack helicopter," "immigrants are exclusively to blame for the downfall of countries," 4chan type jokes about minorities, etc.).
On my end, I tried to discuss these things with him at first, trying to get a sense of why he was doubling down on these things, and the closest I could come to understand it is that it's a relatively irrational fear, fuelled by his tendency to not really explore the veracity of the news he reads - as an example related to his transphobia, it's like he refuses to accept that sex and gender are not inextricably linked to one another, not on a logical basis, but on a "I feel this is incorrect" basis.
Things got pretty tense back in 2022, when I felt the need to call a time off on our friendship for almost an entire year. I just couldn't play it cool when he randomly blurted out something profoundly inconsiderate and devoid of empathy. Conversations turned from heated debates to outright arguments, I could tell that the gap was widening with every subsequent one, and his beliefs seemed to solidify.
We reconciled in 2023 after his wife reached out to me expressing regret that we would lose the friendship over "politics," tried to get back to acting normally around one another, yet the same issues popped up again. This time, with even less empathy. The most recent example was when we both learnt that Trump got elected president again. I expressed a sense of empathy and regret for all of the people who would no longer be allowed to get abortions, the risk he posed to HRT beneficiaries, the danger he posed to all minorities, etc. The only thing he could come up with is "I feel nothing, they deserve it. Did it to themselves." I called him out on his utter lack of empathy, we had a brief, but poignant argument, and now we've barely been talking for two weeks. He periodically drops a message like nothing happened, but I am beyond hesitant to reply. Everything is cold and superficial.
Now, I tried to understand him and his situation... He's a relatively fresh father (his daughter is 2 years old), he is aware of the fact that the world isn't doing too well, but seems to be in denial about it which I sort of understand as being a method of self-protection, but I just cannot abide by his views anymore. No amount of panic or self-defence justifies this in my opinion.
I just don't know what to do. I mean, I do know, or at least my subconscious does, but... I don't know, guess the age and depth of our friendship makes me hesitant to drop it, although this is just the sunk cost fallacy at play... The fact that I feel I'm past my socialite days and knowing that I probably won't make any more friends any time soon doesn't much help, either.
Guess I'm just looking for confirmation around what I already know is the only option...
Is there any merit to his positions? Have you budged at all yourself?
I honestly fail to find any merit in what he's shared so far. All I see is gratuitous hatred and a refusal to actually investigate and understand. He seems very comfortable in his beliefs and, I dare say, quite aggressive toward anything which threatens said comfort...
As far as if I've budged or not, I'm getting closer and closer to being a radical Leftist (I hold nothing but disdain for Authoritarianism, to be clear) based on my own principles and understanding. I'm downright galloping, but directly away from the beliefs he holds.
It's sad to watch someone close go down that trail of fear and anger. I'm hoping you can find some common ground, an olive branch that might help bridge the gap and start bringing him back to the light.
What worked for me was what I call the Pluto Play.
The idea is to acknowledge to him that yes, until very recently, in common parlance, gender and sex meant the same thing. However, language gets more refined, and consensus has allowed us to give two distinct meanings to the words. However, consensus hasn't been universal (yet).
Pluto, for the longest time, was considered a planet. However, language had gotten more refined, and consensus has allowed us to reclassify Pluto. While a lot of us ironically joke that it's still a planet, consensus is slowly becoming universal.
By linking the two concepts in his mind, it gives him something to think about in his own way, and if he can concede even one universal truth to the cause of egalitarianism, he'll always be open to changing again.
Good luck to ye!
(Edit:Spelled "some" as ,"aome"....fixed)
Thank you! That's not a bad idea, although I honestly don't hold much hope for it ending up being successful in any way. This really does feel like a stalemate...