How much do you know about your relatives?

Question:Your cousins, for example. Do you know their political leanings? Do you know their religious affiliation? Do you know the details about them....the kind of information that defines them?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Your cousins, for example. Do you know their political leanings? Do you know their religious affiliation? Do you know the details about them....the kind of information that defines them?

In ALL honesty... I make every effort to avoid the topics that you mention. Both (to me) are topics that often lead to disputes or conflict, which I hate. I focus on topics that we share (obviously, genealogy is one of those.. and your question did get placed here. That might not have been what you intended).
Not being hostile to you... those may be things that in your opinion 'define' a person. You are welcome to that, I simply don't agree.

No, I don't know my cousins very well at all. Having said, that the things that you point out - political leanings, religion - I don't know that about my closest friends - its not something that i would expect people to share - its private. The kind of information that defines them I believe, are things like -where do they go for holidays, do they own and care for pets, do they do charity work, are they resepected by peers, can they cook, iceskate or swim, what arketypes do they have? Those sort of things are more important to me than religion or politics...

In fact, I know some of my cousins, very well because we are close but their political and religious beliefs are not what defines them. I agree with the other answerer. It's what they do with their lives, how they treat family, friends, their kids and my child. How they treat animals and how they deal with situations that are presented to them. Do they volunteer, work hard at their job, coach little league or mow their neighbors lawn if the neighbor is sick or elderly. Deeds you do in life define you not thoughts about the best politican.
Do you know what defines your cousins? Or you?

some cousins I know better than others and then there are relatives I know too much about if you catch my meaning!! LOL