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Old 01-21-2014, 11:06 AM
 
Location: WY
6,243 posts, read 5,030,068 times
Reputation: 7937

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When I read stuff on this forum in the P&C section I wonder if anybody's mind has ever been changed because of the discussion in a thread. Reading this stuff sometimes feels like everybody's on a crazy train. It seems like all everybody wants to do is make their point and then dig in - sweeping generalizations, sometimes outrageous rhetoric, vomiting out the same party lines over and over, nobody listening or trying to understand someone elses perspective or looking honestly at the facts or trying to understand why they feel the way they do.

I have never changed my mind about political issues (although some have brought interesting perspectives to the table that I appreciate). It just seems like nobody is really listening and everybody is just waiting for their turn to talk.

The one time I have changed my mind about something was during the Boston Marathon bombing. Right after it happened, media posted a very graphic picture of a young man whose leg had been blown off. He was being wheeled away from the scene and what was left of his lower leg was clearly visible. Not long afterwards the picture was cropped to hide his bone extending from what was left of his leg. I said at the time that it shouldn't have been cropped - that people needed to very clearly understand who and what we were dealing with when it came to terrorism on our own soil. Someone disagreed with me and said that it should have been cropped out of dignity and consideration for both the victim and his family. After some thought, I agreed with him. It should have been cropped.

So.........thoughts? Anyone else have their mind changed about an issue in this section?
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Old 01-21-2014, 11:24 AM
 
4,130 posts, read 4,444,649 times
Reputation: 3041
Yes, my mind has been changed. When people have solid evidence and solid logic it is easy to say that is what reality is...deal with it.

The issue is the forum is almost exclusively wingnut rage. It's filled with self delusion, conspiracies, and insanity. It's literally the Orwellian 2 minutes of hate that fuels some people because facts and evidence don't support what they want to believe anyways.

It's to keep the argument going day after day, and things that cause arguments are the best materials. It is an emotional imperative for wingnuts. To have their beliefs tested, to have opponents to confront, to have demons to wrestle in their dreams. As long as wingnuts are locked in that cycle they don't have the energy or time for introspection in order to see how nuts they really are. It is also why some of the more notorious posters have been debunked many times, and keep regurgitating the same things (one just spewed a birther prank started in 2009). Why some have been banned dozens of times (one complained about being banned over 50 times) and they keep coming back to do the same things.
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Old 01-21-2014, 11:29 AM
 
27,307 posts, read 16,118,096 times
Reputation: 12100
Quote:
Originally Posted by EmeraldCityWanderer View Post
Yes, my mind has been changed. When people have solid evidence and solid logic it is easy to say that is what reality is...deal with it.

The issue is the forum is almost exclusively wingnut rage. It's filled with self delusion, conspiracies, and insanity. It's literally the Orwellian 2 minutes of hate that fuels some people because facts and evidence don't support what they want to believe anyways.

It's to keep the argument going day after day, and things that cause arguments are the best materials. It is an emotional imperative for wingnuts. To have their beliefs tested, to have opponents to confront, to have demons to wrestle in their dreams. As long as wingnuts are locked in that cycle they don't have the energy or time for introspection in order to see how nuts they really are. It is also why some of the more notorious posters have been debunked many times, and keep regurgitating the same things (one just spewed a birther prank started in 2009). Why some have been banned dozens of times (one complained about being banned over 50 times) and they keep coming back to do the same things.
Same could be said for liberals.
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Old 01-21-2014, 12:09 PM
 
Location: WY
6,243 posts, read 5,030,068 times
Reputation: 7937
Quote:
Originally Posted by EmeraldCityWanderer View Post
Yes, my mind has been changed. When people have solid evidence and solid logic it is easy to say that is what reality is...deal with it.
Can you give example(s) of when you changed your mind about an issue?
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Old 01-21-2014, 12:11 PM
 
Location: WY
6,243 posts, read 5,030,068 times
Reputation: 7937
BTW - in my original OP I used the terms "everybody" and "nobody". Now who's guilty of sweeping generalizations?

The point of my thread and the question I asked remans the same though.
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Old 01-21-2014, 01:35 PM
 
Location: Pa
20,300 posts, read 22,137,125 times
Reputation: 6549
Once upon a time I was a staunch advocate for Israel. Then I went there to train with the IDF. Great soldiers, very skilled. I watched first hand how an old palestinian man was humiliated in front of his grandson. I learned of the many trespasses against this country by Israel. I started reading and learned that Israel is less than innocent. I don't hate them, nor do I trust them to be the friend some would have us believe them to be.

Abortion. I was once against tax payer funded abortions. They are fairly cheap after all. Then some posters made the strong and what should have been obvious case that abortions are far cheaper than welfare. I was never against choice. I was against tax payers paying for the choice.
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Old 01-21-2014, 01:39 PM
 
25,040 posts, read 27,799,698 times
Reputation: 11789
Ron Paul the fraud, the nepotist, did that for me along with his scam artist bed buddy Alex Jones. Thank you 2012 election, for showing those of us that still have our vision intact how much of a liar and scam artist Paul was along with his anti-American, foreign poisonous ideology

Some of the rabid RW posters on here keep pushing me further left on the economy side of things

Last edited by theunbrainwashed; 01-21-2014 at 02:14 PM..
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Old 01-21-2014, 01:45 PM
 
41,111 posts, read 25,567,433 times
Reputation: 13868
I think woman should have a choice but it needs a limit. Libs go to extremes and are wrong when telling you what I think.

I think it is a discusting how people treated blacks who just wanted to make an honest days living but I had nothing to do with it and don't like when people think they are owed because of it. Obama, democrats and liberals are making me colder, pushing me away.

I was working class pink collar and worked my way up and don't like how people believe I should have to pay more, I lost too much time and playing catch up.

I feel bad for people who worked hard but made mistakes, it could have been me but I am told I am cold hearted because I want to make sure I can take care of my family instead of giving it all away to the government who wastes it anyway.

I understand that people want to come to this country to work but geeze can we help our own first. I can't believe people support letting more people in illegally when Americans are having such financial problems. Help Americans first then we can open up to others.

Liberals continually like to say I believe things when they are totally wrong. They don't even know me but sure dramatize and go to extremes when telling people what I think.

Last edited by petch751; 01-21-2014 at 02:16 PM..
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Old 01-21-2014, 01:48 PM
 
Location: North America
19,784 posts, read 15,035,721 times
Reputation: 8526
Quote:
Originally Posted by juneaubound View Post
When I read stuff on this forum in the P&C section I wonder if anybody's mind has ever been changed because of the discussion in a thread. Reading this stuff sometimes feels like everybody's on a crazy train. It seems like all everybody wants to do is make their point and then dig in - sweeping generalizations, sometimes outrageous rhetoric, vomiting out the same party lines over and over, nobody listening or trying to understand someone elses perspective or looking honestly at the facts or trying to understand why they feel the way they do.

I have never changed my mind about political issues (although some have brought interesting perspectives to the table that I appreciate). It just seems like nobody is really listening and everybody is just waiting for their turn to talk.

The one time I have changed my mind about something was during the Boston Marathon bombing. Right after it happened, media posted a very graphic picture of a young man whose leg had been blown off. He was being wheeled away from the scene and what was left of his lower leg was clearly visible. Not long afterwards the picture was cropped to hide his bone extending from what was left of his leg. I said at the time that it shouldn't have been cropped - that people needed to very clearly understand who and what we were dealing with when it came to terrorism on our own soil. Someone disagreed with me and said that it should have been cropped out of dignity and consideration for both the victim and his family. After some thought, I agreed with him. It should have been cropped.

So.........thoughts? Anyone else have their mind changed about an issue in this section?

I learn things from intelligent threads. The ones who use solid links for their information.

I confess that as soon as someone uses a You Tube selfie link to prove their point, they lose me immediately.

But, as far as changing my mind because of something I read in P&OC? No.
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Old 01-21-2014, 01:59 PM
 
Location: Free From The Oppressive State
30,133 posts, read 23,508,546 times
Reputation: 38375
Quote:
Originally Posted by juneaubound View Post
When I read stuff on this forum in the P&C section I wonder if anybody's mind has ever been changed because of the discussion in a thread. Reading this stuff sometimes feels like everybody's on a crazy train. It seems like all everybody wants to do is make their point and then dig in - sweeping generalizations, sometimes outrageous rhetoric, vomiting out the same party lines over and over, nobody listening or trying to understand someone elses perspective or looking honestly at the facts or trying to understand why they feel the way they do.

I have never changed my mind about political issues (although some have brought interesting perspectives to the table that I appreciate). It just seems like nobody is really listening and everybody is just waiting for their turn to talk.

The one time I have changed my mind about something was during the Boston Marathon bombing. Right after it happened, media posted a very graphic picture of a young man whose leg had been blown off. He was being wheeled away from the scene and what was left of his lower leg was clearly visible. Not long afterwards the picture was cropped to hide his bone extending from what was left of his leg. I said at the time that it shouldn't have been cropped - that people needed to very clearly understand who and what we were dealing with when it came to terrorism on our own soil. Someone disagreed with me and said that it should have been cropped out of dignity and consideration for both the victim and his family. After some thought, I agreed with him. It should have been cropped.

So.........thoughts? Anyone else have their mind changed about an issue in this section?
Yes. Unlike some on here, I can admit that I have changed my mind. See, I don't just go by words that are written, if something someone has said has a spark of sense, (which is rare on here), then I will go and read about it more on my own, not just with their links that they provide. (Considering far too many use Wikipedia as their source....which is a flippin' joke.)

I used to buy in to the b.s. that we had to go tromping all over the globe, wielding our fists and weapons in the name of peace.

I no longer believe that. I do have to attribute some of that to some of the posters on here....I don't know about recent posters, but some from the past. I now wish that we would just enforce our borders, and I mean strictly enforce, stop handing out Visas like they were candy, and defend our country on its own borders and shores.

As for the cropping, I don't agree with it. We SHOULD see the reality, so that people will get their heads out of the sand, and stop pretending that the world is full of happy, nice people. It is not.
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