Please provide an example of having learned sth. or changed your mind - D&D

We had a long thread on abortion back in the day in which my position on abortion crystallized as a result of my interactions with MadMax.

 

i think it's safe to say this stupid forum has completely shaped who i am. the arguments put forth here gave me the courage to let go of a belief system that i could never fully accept. it made me question why i was so "uncomfortable" at the thought of being around gays, liberals, and atheists (and quite vocal about it in high school...looking back i cringe with disgust at some of the things i said).

i was lucky i had a support system and friends going through the same stuff to ease me through the process of losing my identity, and that awful, terrible feeling that you're letting down the ones you love. some aren't as lucky.

 

This little hole on the Internet is really where I started forming my political views/opinions, honestly. I hadn't voted or cares whatsoever about politics until I began visiting here. I've since realized I'm pretty liberal, and now reddit is really the place that tends to shape or "crystallize" (as GladiatoRowdy put it) my views on things.

Probably the most obvious example would be religious tolerance. I used to be of the view "don't piss anyone off" by posting my revulsion to things like Draw Mohammed Day (you may recall this, ATW). I used to think "clearly they don't like it, so why do it?" I still feel that way about many things, but not religion any more. I think their intolerance of such things is ridiculous and unfounded, now.

Note: The same applies for tolerance of other religions, too. Using a belief in a sky fairy to justify actions, consequences, intolerance or a result leaves little room for my respect.

 

hey, don't blame me!!!

 

Judoka, Donny, and Max (especially Max) have forced me to re-evaluate positions multiple times. Would that we could have those sorts of conversations again.

Major has also challenged my opinions and I've learned a lot from those debates.

 

I'm inspired by a lot of you guys that truly are informed about the world we live in. I've actually started reading more political stuff, listen to NPR to get some news and opinions, and I'm trying to formulate my own views at the time to see where I stand. One thing I was ignorant about was an estate tax. I never had actually knew an estate tax existed and quite frankly Deckard along with Major solidified my opinion on the issue. I been pretty inspired by some of you guys knowledge while I have also learned to not be a uninformed, conspiracy idiot like others I will leave unnamed.

Thanks clutch fans!

 

This forum has helped me that liberals are complete arrogant, hypocritical, pieces of crap thieves. In whatever way I used to be like them, I have realized the error of my ways. Thank you.

 

Echo these and you as well. Always enjoyed reading weslinder and HayesStreet, as well at Ottomon (sp?).

 

dmc89, MadMax and Deji have provided guidance that has shaped my beliefs and broadened my perspective on a variety of important topics. Each of them a great example of how to transcend above miniature ideological conflicts and not lose sight of principles. I doubt any of them realize they have influenced me, so this is a good opportunity to thank them!

 

ATW's posts on Muslims have led me to a deeper understanding how ethnic prejudice in Gemany gradually built up to the Holocaust.

 

Clutchfans got me engaged in politics for the first time, now I'm not completely clueless on politics.

 

I've been here a long time, and a lot of my views have changed over that period. I can't specifically say what was caused by this forum vs other things, but certainly debates with the "serious" posters here (rhad, Deckard, Hayes, Madmax, FB, weslinder, etc) have made me both defend & shape my own views and helped better understand alternative perspectives.

This forum actually has some really good & informative debates - it's just a matter of finding them inside all of the crap. All it takes is a few idiot posters not interested in a real discussion to drive down an otherwise great thread. It's one of the reasons I'd be all for banning the crap posters who clearly just try to instigate by posting nonsense and never participate in discussion - this place could be a great place for real political conversations.

 

So ridiculous. Texx gets flamed constantly for his stupid race baiting walk the line act he does, but glynch consistently does things like this and gets away with it.

 

Great point about shaping/defending your own views. Sometimes we might learn more from that than from responses. There are a lot of smart posters (not to undersell that) as well, and many that provide different perspectives from other parts of the world.

 

If anything, this forum has actually caused me enjoy politics less. I have a degree in Poli Sci and used to love discussions, listening to or watching shows, etc. But I abhor what has become of the 2 parties...the enormous divide and hatred for anyone that could possibly be anywhere in the middle. Frankly, I'm sick of it all. I'm sick of listening to the garbage from the right and I'm sick of the pretentiousness of the far left. I definitely lean left but have some beliefs that would be classified as conservative. Posters like basso, Hightop, bigtexxx, esteban (being the worst of them) on the right and Sam (and some others at times) on the left just annoy the living s*** out of me.

 

I echo this sentiment. I was a poli sci undergrad and used to really like the discussions, but then it just got old with the extremes. I just reengaged politics in general because I am far more distressed by the right's continual lying and demagoguery than the left's pretension (although that is very annoying).

 

yup, i feel this way too.

 

I've been a conservative pretty much since, oh I don't know, maybe 1994 or so? I voted for Clinton in 92, then had a change of heart a few years later.

Throughout the Bush administration, I thought the left here was pretty obnoxious with the whole "Bush is a war criminal!!!!11" rhetoric. Now that Obama is in office, I think the "Obama is a socialist muslim!!!!!11" rhetoric is just as obnoxious, if not more so.

My views have really changed since Palin and the tea party movement basically forced me out of the republican party. I still consider myself a conservative philosophically, but I just can't bring myself to support any of these silly tea-party candidates.

Not sure where I fit in anymore. I guess I am a fiscal-conservative who leans to the left socially? (cool with gay marriage, woman's right to choose, etc.) Hell, I don't even know anymore.