Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm convinced that when it comes to politics, it's impossible to change anyone's mind on whatever position they've taken. People have already made up their mind and only seek excuses to back their beliefs.
I grew up as a liberal, but switched to conservative sometime in my early 20s. Nobody convinced me to. I just changed my ideology after I decided to stop being so intellectually lazy.
Has anyone ever changed your mind or have you ever changed anyone else's mind when it comes to politics.
Yes, my mind changed. I was starting to lean a little more to the center when I first joined up, but after seeing all the lies from the left, and especially their snotty arrogance in 2015, 2016, and the non stop whining in 2017, I'm leaning even further to the right. More than I ever have before.
When I joined the forum I was a weak-minded democrat basing my decisions mostly on feelings and not really listening to the other, conservative side. I always thought, and mistakenly so, that being liberal meant more freedom for the individual. The package looked good but when I opened it up found it empty. Rather than more freedom, I had less, and became trapped inside the collective and the constant whining was annoying.
When I looked back on my life I saw that what I had gained, was gained by my own efforts, and not one liberal program ever helped me. I wasn't poor and I thought the liberals were mostly interested in helping the poor. I knew poor people and they did get some benefits from liberal policy's but they never seemed to break out of poverty or progress as a whole. I knew I was paying for it with my taxes, that constantly increased, to pay for these programs. It wasn't getting the poor people anywhere and it was holding me back by taking more from me. It dawned on me that I couldn't save the world but I could save me if I made better choices.
I realized that I had to open my mind and become a neutral observer. As a liberal I more or less went along with whatever the leadership said was good without putting much thought into it. When I stopped doing that and started thinking for myself, I discovered what was important to me and what my principals actually were.
It wasn't an overnight transformation. I didn't go to bed one night a liberal and wake up the next day a conservative. But I did wake up. On some issues I was willing to put the good of the nation first. On most issues that wasn't necessary and putting my interest first was the best decision. Very similar to being a carefree child going through puberty and on to becoming an adult.
What really helped me and made the transformation easier was the democrat party was transforming too. They were becoming far remove from what attracted me in the first place. They turned 180 degrees from representing me to coming out and stating publicly that I was not wanted in their party anymore. They weren't interested in my point of view. I wasn't the right gender, I wasn't gay, I wasn't an illegal immigrant, I wasn't an immigrant at all. I wasn't the favorite color and that made me evil and they called me names in public. I wasn't someone who wanted to punish America for its successes and try to burn it down. I wasn't someone who want to be associated with hate or willing to burn the house down to punish someone they disagreed with. I wasn't someone who wanted to be dependent on government for my existence or take the free things being offered. I knew what is given is often taken away also.
We do have something in common still. We are 180 off of where we started and we both have transformed. The relationship is now like an ex-wife. She wants child support but we didn't have any children. She's judge shopping now so who knows what will happen. She might get a liberal judge who will side with her. In the end it looks like I made the right choice for me.
[quote=GotHereQuickAsICould;48679150]Some are likely unwitting accomplices. But there simply cannot be that many volunteer Sarah Huckabee-Sanders and Kellyanne Conways in the universe.
In any case, this is one area that my thoughts on matters have changed as a result of this forum.[/QUOTE]
So your thoughts have changed but its inconceivable that the thoughts of others can change if they don't align with yours ?
Yes. Sometimes I read a post that is well written and balanced presenting a different view than my own and I am swayed. Some posters present a good argument. I have never been swayed by hardliners from either side.
Yes. Usually by the superstar posters like Middle Age Mom, Ovcatto (old school), JTG, Mircea, Lily, Math, Gringo, Unbrain, MPower, Burdell, StillWat, and a few others. Even Bent has convinced me on a tiny few occasions.
I'm convinced that when it comes to politics, it's impossible to change anyone's mind on whatever position they've taken. People have already made up their mind and only seek excuses to back their beliefs.
I grew up as a liberal, but switched to conservative sometime in my early 20s. Nobody convinced me to. I just changed my ideology after I decided to stop being so intellectually lazy.
Has anyone ever changed your mind or have you ever changed anyone else's mind when it comes to politics.
Well...C-D was part of the process that changed my party affiliation from Republican to Independent.
I just realized that I did not want to play the Party game anymore. It seems that most of the positions of either party are based on opposition to each other,, rather than a reasoned response to the issues.
When it became clear that Healthcare reform..Republican style---was not in the best interests of millions of Americans, I jumped ship.
A prime example is this thread...where almost every poster..from the OP on...is using the question to launch attacks on 'the other side'. All negative influences being cited...just a bunch of self-serving BS.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
