[NA]In the history of the internet

Let'sgoflying!

Let'sgoflying!

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
Feb 23, 2005
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west Texas
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Dave Taylor
has anyone, anywhere ever had their opinion about anything changed?
Or, expressed as a fraction, how many arguments resulted in one solid about face?
 
I’ve seen it in tech forums when someone had their head clear up their butt on tech they thought they knew.

Have also seen a few finely figure out all politicians are scum instead of just their so called “opposition” wearing the other color neckties.

Other than that, if you’re meaning two-party partisan political arguments, cultists rarely change much.

They’ll happily defend the guy or gal handing them the poison, as they don their Nikes to go meet the magic aliens coming to get them from behind the magic government comet, rather than admit they’re the actual problem. :)

If there’s only two sides and one is always right and the other is always wrong, about everything, you’re a sociopathic cult member. By definition. But yay, that’s us as a society and who we want to be.

We train that stuff hard right into every kid we can with team sports.

So... go Broncos! Nobody is immune from thousands of years of closure and tribalism! Not yet anyway. Not me, for sure. Rational brain still gets over-ridden by “my team is gonna WINNNN biotches!” LOL

Rah rah, hoist a flag or three of various symbols over the house and have all the correct bumper stickers on the car. :)

Which reminds me I still need to order those cool aviation license plates for no particular reason. Nobody at the stop light will care in the slightest but they look cool. Hahaha.
 
In less emotionally-charged forums, yes. In forums about things of a technical or practical nature, like car forums, there tend to be a lot of changed opinions. Maybe not so much regarding motor oil, which tends to be a religion; but in most other topics, yes.

Rich
 
Yes. Even in religion and politics, although those are rare because people are so bad at discussing them.
 
Definitely - “as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” I’m more likely to be friends with someone who challenges me than one who is just an echo chamber. It doesn’t hurt my feelings to end an argument with, “You’re right, I was dumb or myopic.”

How many ad hominem arguments change my mind? None.




Eg, I grew up thinking a certain southern symbol was at all times a racist item - black and white, so to speak. My opinion wasn’t changed entirely, but certainly nuanced when a friend who went to Brown told me about sitting in a class discussion led by white students where the only student who defended the symbol and even had one in his dorm room...was black. It didn’t negate certain connotations of the symbol, but certainly provided an alternative perspective of something that apparently wasn’t, if you will, entirely black and white.
 
The term 'keyboard warrior' exists for a reason. I rarely see opinions changed, especially in religion or politics.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
how many arguments resulted in one solid about face?
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Quite a few. As mentioned above, in technical based discussions I have seen a number of 180s in opinion and ideas. Same in the use of complex rules or regulations like the FARs. In aviation for example, while not every topic is black and white like the definition of airworthiness, a number of people, in my experience, will move from Side A, which they believe is not permitted, to side B when shown there is a path, like installing non-TSO items on a TC'd aircraft. Anything beyond technical topics rarely a 180, but at times maybe a little.
 
absolutely, all the time. well, actually, now that you mention it, you're probably right, no one ever does.
 
Of course. I used to think Abortion was an unfortunate, but necessary thing. With the internet I've come to the much more informed decision that killing babies is murder and RvW needs to be overturned.

<- That guy didn't understand the assignment
 
Yes.

I am told I am wrong on this forum all the time.

...and sometimes they are right!...sometimes...
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
has anyone, anywhere ever had their opinion about anything changed?
Or, expressed as a fraction, how many arguments resulted in one solid about face?
Click to expand...
I do certainly pay attention to whatever the Russians post.
 
Everyone who I argue with secretly knows I’m right they just never admit to it.
 
duty_calls.png
 
Everskyward said:
I find that everyone disagrees with me because I normally have a middle position which can be contested from both sides.
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I also tend to take middle positions, but I wouldn't say that EVERYONE disagrees with me. Those who also take middle positions tend to agree with me, or at least, where we disagree, the disagreements are less driven by emotional factors.
 
I find myself drawn to those that can make clear, concise, arguments that are supported by the facts. For instance - this should take away any confusion people have about Corona distancing:


:D
 
Everskyward said:
I find that everyone disagrees with me because I normally have a middle position which can be contested from both sides.
Click to expand...

Its really interesting that I, and 99.99% of everyone I know, am/are sane reasonable people who are neither extremely liberal, nor extremely conservative. Yet, there is still so much political divisiveness in this country. Its almost as if we're the only sane people left in the world. And, everyone else has gone nuts.
 
Yes. In conversations here on POA in the Spin Zone my opinion on Gun Control got changed nearly 180 degrees. And I've learned oodles about lots of different things.
 
steingar said:
Yes. In conversations here on POA in the Spin Zone my opinion on Gun Control got changed nearly 180 degrees. And I've learned oodles about lots of different things.
Click to expand...


So what guns do you now own?
 
One important skill I've learned on the Internet is to simply write my opinions in this little box and then delete them instead of clicking post, I get much less grief that way.
 
Half Fast said:
So what guns do you now own?
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I do not nor will not own firearms. My own analysis has convinced me that their ownership poses far greater risks than the lack thereof. I do not wish to debate this, it is my opinion based on my research. I certainly don't want to derail a really good thread. I would not try and convince anyone of anything otherwise.

That said, I will never support anyone attempting to limit firearm ownership for law-abiding US citizens while there is clear data obviating any need to do so.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
has anyone, anywhere ever had their opinion about anything changed?
Click to expand...
Oh, I don't know, I used to think you were a pretty cool guy. :)

Actually, now, the problem is you can find a source for whatever opinion you want to espouse. Coronavirus is a man-made bioweapon? Here's a link that "proves" it. Donald Trump is a space alien? Here's a link with picture.

When people's minds are changeable, it requires a preponderance of facts. But when people can chose "facts" ala carte, there's no basis for reasoned debate. Anderson Cooper says one thing, Sean Hannity says another, and people believe the one that matches their original mindset. Even when one or the other lies, and you can PROVE he lied, their fans aren't interested. They have the facts they want.

So any discussion is wasted effort.

Ron Wanttaja
 
wanttaja said:
So any discussion is wasted effort.
Click to expand...

On a few chatgroups I frequent, there is a pervasive arrogance which has totally precluded any hope of people having normal discussions where one can thoughtfully consider the opinion of another.
There seems to be pride taken by being adamant about a certain view, as if listening to and contemplating someone else's words is a sign of weakness.
Sad.
 
Interestingly, I would have thought scientists, engineers and folks who build stuff (and probably other professions I'm not thinking of right now) would have learned that reality doesn't really care how earnestly you believe something. And therefore have more open minds. (I'd like to think I do.)

I've been disappointed.

There are beliefs I hold that are not provable, but I am aware of that and would not try to "prove" them to you. I'm satisfied with them.
 
Everskyward said:
I find that everyone disagrees with me because I normally have a middle position which can be contested from both sides.
Click to expand...

The US as a wholes politics has drifted so far right that even the left in the US looks fairly centrist to people from almost any other country.

My politics have made almost a complete 180 in the last 8 or so years. My parents were apolitical, at least in front of me, but my friends parents, and even teachers were all very specific in their views. Texas public school system almost guarantees a good indoctrination into a certain political party. Interestingly enough, my friends who ended up not being of that persuasion were either homeschooled their last few years like I was, or went to college and got an education. Those who stayed in the hometown and didn’t go to college were doomed to wear the iconic hats.
 
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DavidWhite said:
Well, Eisenhowers politics would fall well to the left of almost ANY politicians today, and he was a Republican.
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I'm not going to debate politics with you and I will also remind you that it is contrary to the ROC.
 
Everskyward said:
I'm not going to debate politics with you and I will also remind you that it is contrary to the ROC.
Click to expand...

Debate is not my intention, just a statement of facts. His spending projects, education projects, infrastructure projects, and a very aggressive progressive tax policy is not all indicative of the current political state of the party he belonged to.
 
For me, it’s good to remember, regardless of their persuasion, people seem more often than not to use Internet forums like a drunk uses a lamppost: more for support than illumination.
 
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