Need help dealing with contractors

[ThousandBlade]

Back story: 

The house needs some major work done to it, hired a few contractors.

I'm pretty involved with the whole process since the only way to get things done right is to do it your self these days.

I basically work with them for free, so I can catch all the mistakes before the whole thing is covered up.

Over the past few weeks, I be talking to them and have gotten to know them very well.

We shared dinners and drink together after work very often. I've started to manage their retirement funds last week.

 

I made a huge mistake today.

The discussion topic had some how started to involve flat earth theory.

I find out my contractors are flat earthers and very religious.

we stared having very lengthy discussion through out the day, barely any work done.

They can't seem to hold a conversation and work at the same time, might be for the best, since lots of power tools, saws and scaffolding are involved.

They're so passionate about the topic that they stayed after work till 10:30 at night to discuss flat earth theory.

the discussion is very calm and friendly so far.

 

I did my best defending science, but I fear tomorrow they will come back with more questions.

I'm stressing the fk out and watched all the videos about debunking flat earth theory to get prepared.

 

I fear this getting in the way of getting the job done.

we are already 3 weeks into a 1 month job, but only having about a third done.

this distraction is costing us a lot of work time. and winter is coming fast. IT NEEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE IT GETS COLD!!!

 

I need them to focus on the work, but also do not want to hurt their feelings and challenge their religious beliefs. 

I'm getting above and beyond levels of quality work since we're such good terms so far, and I hope for it to stay that way.

 

I have been invited to dinner again tomorrow. 

 

What do I do now?

Do I stand for science the friendliest way possible or do I pretend to change my heart and embrace the flat earther way.

I don't want to challenge their beliefs but I also don't wanna fking lie to them.

 

I feel like I'm totally fucked regardless of what I do.

 

 

I harbor no ill feeling towards those contractors, they are very very nice people.

[ThousandBlade]

1 minute ago, Arika said:

how about you let them just do their work? if they can't talk and do their job, then don't engage. let them believe what ever they want to believe, it's dumb, but it's not up to you to make them change their mind, it's not like it will affect the job at hand.

 

They will definitely be asking about it, any tips on dodging this topic as friendly and incusbicous as I can?

[Rocketdog2112]

What's so hard about having a morning meeting and explaining the work is getting behind schedule.

Tell them you can appreciate their world views, but it's time to get back to work. 

 

Their feelings are irrelevant. They are getting paid to work, not talk. 

[Needfuldoer]

6 hours ago, ThousandBlade said:

They will definitely be asking about it, any tips on dodging this topic as friendly and incusbicous as I can?

"We are not going to change each other's minds, so let's not discuss that anymore."

 

You never should have engaged about it in the first place. Don't discuss anything irrelevant to the project because you'll only rile each other up and drag the timeline out.

[ThousandBlade]

12 hours ago, Needfuldoer said:

You never should have engaged about it in the first place. Don't discuss anything irrelevant to the project because you'll only rile each other up and drag the timeline out.

We were talking smack about how shit the quality of my house was while working. That was pretty normal since basically the original builder fked up everything that can be fked up. 

Topic started to go to shitting on builders and developers, them cutting every corner and being greedy AF.

He said it's because of the devil.

I said the devil was overrated, people are just awful.

He started discribing the plot of paranormal activity to tell me how scary the devil is.

I literally thought he was joking since it was so obsurd.

After that he started to ask about what I think the world is like, the earth revolves the sun or the sun revolves the earth. 

It was at this moment that I knew, I fked up.

[Lurking]

Flat Earth Society - with members from all around the Globe.

 

Just steer the discussion to something neutral or the work. There is no point in convincing anyone. Could even be fun to blame the devil when a power tool battery runs out 

 

Everyone is a Russia/virus/economy/deep sea diving/hyper loop expert nowadays. They already know everything and don't want to hear information that deviates from their belief.

[ThousandBlade]

1 hour ago, Lurking said:

Flat Earth Society - with members from all around the Globe.

 

Just steer the discussion to something neutral or the work. There is no point in convincing anyone. Could even be fun to blame the devil when a power tool battery runs out 

 

Everyone is a Russia/virus/economy/deep sea diving/hyper loop expert nowadays. They already know everything and don't want to hear information that deviates from their belief.

I barely got by today.

I don't think I wanna poke the bear right now.

[Stahlmann]

If someone manages to hold on to the flat earther beliefs, they're beyond reasoning and you will not be able to say anything to convince them otherwise.

 

You cannot use logic to convince someone if they didn't use logic to get to that point to begin with.

 

That's basically my stance on religious people, flat earthers, etc.

 

If they get to the same topic when talking just say you've said everything you had to say and you don't want to talk about it anymore.

[Sil3nt1]

lol

[Rocketdog2112]

On 9/11/2023 at 1:23 PM, Caroline said:

change the topic back to something about the work

Yeah... Like get your ass back to work or you're fired.