Last week I learnt that someone I know is a Trump fan. We’re friendly, if not exactly friends, but nothing in our year-long acquaintanceship would have led me to suspect he was fond of the USA’s xenophobic, pussy-grabbing, Cheeto-in-Chief. People are full of surprises – sometimes disconcertingly so.

Most of us want and need our friends and loved ones to share our political and ideological beliefs. As a result, we tend to surround ourselves with people who have similar values. This can mean isolating yourself from dissenting — or disgusting — opinion. As a result, our conversations and social media feeds may act as a hall of mirrors, reflecting our beliefs back at us, giving us the false sense that others think, feel and act as we do.

Differing political opinions can split couples and families. During the Marriage Equality referendum, I spoke to a number of people who were no longer talking to family members who were determined to vote No.