Things that you have changed your mind about.

[Haukur Isleifsson]

Often when debating with people I get the feeling that it is pointless and people never change their mind about anything important. That people are to proud and stubborn to ever alter their opinion on any matter. But than I remember that there are many things that I once thought that I no longer think. Opinions I once saw as stupid that I now agree with. So in that spirit I would like us all to confirm that we are in fact capable of changing our minds when new data emerges.

Bonus points for telling us what/who made you change your mind.

Extra bonus points if you ever told a person that their argument changed your mind.

I will (somewhat narcissisticly) start myself.
Back in 2010 I debated some people on the Religion and politics forum here about the "Draw Muhammad day". I defended the action as I believed that it would show the world that free speech could not be stopped by threats. Others said that it needlessly antagonized a great deal of people who for all intents and purposes could be "our" allies.
I have changed my mind. I think that there are far better ways to accomplice the same goal here. And that the collateral damage is far to great to justify this action. But I still believe that this action should be protected under Freedom of Speech.

 

[Terminate421]

That Santorum might be a decent president (This was months ago mind you). Then I saw how crazy he was......

 

[tippy2k2]

I find I change my mind on issues here a lot. I know it feels like arguing with a brick wall when you're on these threads sometimes but know that I'm at least open and willing to change my mind if I feel your argument is good (AND you keep it civil; many a times I will disregard your opinion because you made a personal attack).

Bonus points example!:
I thought that the ISP-spying thing that is coming out was a good idea at first (well, I guess I was more neutral, didn't see the harm). I didn't see any harm in the policy but after a very helpful knowledge bomb by member Isometry [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/isometry], I changed my opinion on it.

There are issues that I just won't bend on and had long discussions on (piracy, Anonymous are terrorists, myself loving ME3's ending, etc.) in this forum. I'd like to think that my arguments have changed others minds but I don't think I've ever had someone out and admit that I helped change their mind.

 

[The Night Angel]

I was going to comment on this thread but...... (just kidding)

I used to believe that all religions were wrong, and that they should be torn down, but I now believe that if it helps people, and they keep it to themselves( don't try and convert others or judge others based on their beliefs), then live and let live.

 

[Starik20X6]

My uncle died from liver failure due to alcoholism, which made me very anti-drinking. Then I actually tried it, and realised that it was fine.

I used to be a strictly Nintendo only gamer, getting in heated arguments with Sony fans. Now I also have a PS2, 3 and P.

I used to think the words "I love you" actually meant something.

These were never during arguments though, always just through my own mind broadening. I think it's nearly impossible to convince someone they are wrong when arguing with them, because in the context of an argument you want to win more than you want to be correct. It's just the way the human brain works.

 

[chstens]

That people were capable of being calm and reasonable, and then Retake Mass Effect happened. The moronic, entitled fuckwits.

 

[default]

Smoking. I used to think it was stupid and couldn't understand the habit. I never thought I would do it myself. Oh boy did that change.

 

[Offworlder_v1legacy]

Drinking. I was (stupidly) one of those people who listened to my elders telling me not to drink, and I went around for ages saying no. Then on party I tried drinking seriously, and I loved it. That incident also changed my whole persona as I because less judgemental and did't knock things I did't understand or try anymore.

 

[chstens]

That people were capable of being calm and reasonable, and then Retake Mass Effect happened. The moronic, entitled fuckwits.

Ironyyyyy.

OT: I've changed my mind about anime. And manga. And videogames from japan. I dislike them a lot. Also, I've changed from indifferent about, and uninvolved with religion, to atheist. And I have changed my mind on threads I've created/viewed on here but I can't remember any specifics.

I know it isn't very "calm and reasonable" of me, but it is my honest opinion that everyone that donated to Retake Mass Effect for the purpose of changing the ending are moronic, entitled fuckwits.

 

[Haukur Isleifsson]

I think it's nearly impossible to convince someone they are wrong when arguing with them, because in the context of an argument you want to win more than you want to be correct. It's just the way the human brain works.

I think you are right in a way. I never admitted to the person who changed my mind about DMD that what they had said made any difference. But that's just because I was to proud to admit it at the time. But now in retrospect as I have thought about it I see that what they said really made all the difference.

But I understand you because it so rarely happens that someone changes their mind mid-argument. But that doesn't mean that they never do change it.

 

[Haukur Isleifsson]

That people were capable of being calm and reasonable, and then Retake Mass Effect happened. The moronic, entitled fuckwits.

I don't get it. They're seems to be a bit of a hole in that argument.

 

[wooty]

That britain is "great" (or united for that matter).

I used to be a die hard patriot, even going as far as to join the armed forces at one point to "seeeerve the naaaaation". But then I spent some time in the real world after it, I met a fair amount of people, went a lot of different places and just thought one day that no, its not worth my time anymore.

It can sink as far as I care.

 

[Something Amyss]

Abortion and Nuclear Power.

Thing is, no one person changed my mind on either. It was a process, and one that took many years. I think a lot of people want to see someone hit a epiphany and flip overnight, and that's usually unrealistic.

The Israeli/Palestinian conflict. It sort of was a process, but it was one person who really sort of drove home how little was actually reported accurately.

I can't think of others offhand. Probably a few more.

 

[chstens]

That people were capable of being calm and reasonable, and then Retake Mass Effect happened. The moronic, entitled fuckwits.

I don't get it. They're seems to be a bit of a hole in that argument.

People reacting like entitled, whining, bitching little children, demanding that BioWare do to Mass Effect what people have condemned George Lucas for doing for years. As I said in another comment,

I know it isn't very "calm and reasonable" of me, but it is my honest opinion that everyone that donated to Retake Mass Effect for the purpose of changing the ending are moronic, entitled fuckwits.

 

[Tanakh]

People reacting like entitled, whining, bitching little children, demanding that BioWare do to Mass Effect what people have condemned George Lucas for doing for years.

You mean screw a beloved story by terrible witing at key moments? I thought they had already done that! --rimshot--

At the very least he appears to be more honest than the other candidates. When he answers a question it's from the heart. Shriveled black, sludge pumping heart though it may be.

Ahh... Ron Paul has a flawless record of consistent honesty, Santorum has changed what he says depending on the audience. But if you mean he is more honest than the serial cheater and the panderer extraordinare... yeah, i guess.

OT - A bunch, but i am ancient (28), some of them being:

War
Wind energy
Religion
Political Afiliation
Food
Importance of a human live
Money

Humm... it would be faster to say which one HAVEN'T changed: Pizza can be awesome, i want to keep living and try new things... that's about it.

 

[PinochetIsMyBro]

That Europe would eventually realize how self-destructive their current immigration policies are. The trends aren't getting any better, sadly, they seem to be getting worse.

I also used to be a big fan of Mozart, but I've seen the light. He's got nothing on my man Bach.

 

[rayen020]

I thought i had the best insurance rate i could get. Then i called Geico and they helped me save 15% on my car insurance.

No, but seriously, I don't think i've ever had my opinion changed by someone/something on the internet. I have had my mind changed by facts through television or conversations with people (i'm old-fashioned like that). for Example after the daily show i thought the homeless hotspots things was reprehensible. Then i heard another thing about it and talk from the actual people doing it (the homeless people mind you) and the people who organized it and their reasons and i now i think it's kinda smart.

Captcha;The all-new Chevy Sonic, that sounds like an incredibly crappy car. weird that random letters spelled chevy.

 

[Lionsfan]

Quite a lot of stuff. Politics, the Environment, War, Abortion, Religion, and a bunch of other stuff I can't really think of right now

 

[Psykoma]

Adoption, I like most was totally for it and I know I am going to sound like a evil son of a ...... for this but I think it has turned into a awful thing. I want to make it clear my view is not against the child or those who adopt the child but rather the parent/s that give the child away.

We live in a society today where we have literal drop boxes for babies. If that isn't a sign that it has become a problem than I don't know what is. We have totally removing personal responsibility that result from personal choices and actions. If you do not use contraceptives, if all else fails there is abortion. But of course they have the child and give it up. What happens if this problem simply grows and even in our western society we end up with way more children than homes for them? Is overcrowded orphanages where most will fail to be adopted while costing billions of dollars provided by people who had no part in creating the children really want we want someday in America?

As far as I've found, it's not that 'we end up with way more children than homes for them', it's that we end up with a system that will not release a child to adopting parents until that parent has had to wait and be examined for years. It's not at all unheard of for just the approval to adopt here (in Canada) to take 1,2 or more years.

If the process wasn't so stringent, I doubt that orphanages would be nearly as busy as they are, if at all.
But on the flip-side, if the process wasn't so stringent, what could happen to the kids? Abuse? Neglect? Harm to the child? And would those consequences happen at any higher of a rate than it does in the general population?

 

[Relish in Chaos]

I used to believe in karma, but when I persistently tried to do good things and was afraid of doing bad things (believing that the problems in my life up until then was because I'd somehow been being a dick), I realized that it didn?t exist and it was restricting my life. Now, the only remotely religious thing I consider as even a possibility is reincarnation.

I used to believe in God, due to my Muslim upbringing. But then I matured, my life changed, and I went from an Agnostic Muslim to an Agnostic to finally an Atheist.