My boyfriend, who is 19, really dislikes politics, and I'm worried it could lead to our breakup.
He has never been interested in politics, which I initially took to mean he simply didn't like any particular party. He communicated this clearly, so I chose not to bring it up further. I, on the other hand, have a genuine interest in politics and believe it's vital, so I asked him to complete the Vote Compass survey to better understand his views. He found the survey inconclusive, choosing 'don’t know' for nearly every question. While I understood some of his responses, especially regarding budget spending—something he wasn't familiar with—there were other questions that seemed straightforward. For example, one asked if only working parents should receive government-funded childcare. I believe it's possible to have an opinion on such topics without extensive political knowledge, and I even shared my thoughts on the pros and cons. Despite this, he maintained that he didn’t know because he simply didn't care. He expressed that he doesn't concern himself with politics unless it impacts him directly. I challenged him by asking what if an issue affects me but not him; he responded by questioning what could possibly affect me that wouldn’t impact him, and I provided examples, but he dismissed them. When I suggested that some people endure extreme hardships, I asked if he couldn’t muster even a simple opinion on that, and he said no—his indifference continued because it didn’t affect him. I pointed out that this attitude seemed selfish and ignorant, and he agreed. After that conversation, I suggested we take a break, and now I'm uncertain about my next steps. This situation has made me seriously reconsider our relationship, and I'm not sure if I can continue being with someone who feels this way. I wondered if I might be overreacting or if I'm being unreasonable, but I can't help but think about potential future political issues—like anything that could adversely affect me or women's rights—and whether he would care at all. With my nineteenth birthday approaching in a few days, I’ve told him not to come to my celebration. I've made efforts to explain why these matters are important to me, yet he remains unresponsive. I would appreciate any advice. Thank you in advance.