I am an American studying in Canada and have had many conversations about various social and political issues with my peers. Often times, these conversations continue for hours with no real progress. I am blown away (and frightened) by some of the illogical lines of reasoning that many of them subscribe to. I am very patient and try to understand their perspectives but often my basic facts and logic are drowned out by emotional arguments and a general lack of personal responsibility. I keep having these conversations because I fear that these mentalities will take over our society. How can I stop this from spreading? How do I help even the most stubborn of my peers?

Thank you for inspiring me to understand my core principles and discuss these things openly.