Has anything posted on ATPN changed any of your views?

[Karl Agathon]

I just became more cynical of P&N

When one observes the many partisan hacks, its not hard to become more cynical here

 

[rudeguy]

yes

I used to wonder if people were born with a certain mindset. The only other option would be that people were just raised that way but that wouldn't explain how a Democrat could raise a Conservative. Then after reading and watching here, I realized that people are all just sheeple and they follow the thinking of whomever they see as their leader.

And yes even you alpha males of AT...you follow too. So very few people actually have original opinions on anything political. So very many will argue to the death to defend a position that they don't fully understand.

Its not a bad thing, its just interesting to watch.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Originally Posted by Anarchist420

Anarchist---- Nope. My views on immigration have changed since I first came here (I used to hold a more Hoppe-an view) but that's not because of anything here and that's really the only one of my views that has changed since I've come here. I've been a libertarian since 2006, a supporter of Dr. Paul since 2007, and an ancap since 08.

Craig234--Don't you miss your home planet?

I think he was exiled from his home planet....

 

[AreaCode707]

I clearly remember a thread where I was educated about the core facts of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Someone called me an uneducated idiot, to which I absolutely admitted to. The same person who called me an uneducated idiot did a complete about face and very politely undertook to educate me about simple things, like boundaries and dates and such. Having a better understanding of the situation did change my perspective and opinions.

In general I'm more libertarian and less traditionally conservative than I used to be, and I think interaction with AT folks has played a part in that. It's always the reasonable balanced folks who make me think and inch me towards changes in my views. The folks that grasp at straws, harp at their point, will use any evidence rational or irrational, hurl insults at the opposing party, and refuse to entertain anyone else's evidence or perspectives, they simply make me write off their views as the rantings of crazy people.

 

[ericlp]

the only thing that has changed is the way I reply to others...

 

[tweaker2]

The one view that has changed the most for me is that I have come to accept the fact that there actually are people who will cut off their noses to spite their faces, especially when it comes to choosing blatantly overt emotionally driven propaganda over their own best interests.

 

[shortylickens]

Nope, never.
I often want to ask this question when I see people posting constantly and its pretty damn clear no one is going to change their mind and the discussion cant possibly go any further.

 

[HAL9000]

Definitely.

 

[sportage]

Nope... I still can't type, spell or think.

 

[Yetti]

Not really. I used to lurk this forum a lot and too many people are a little too far to the right or left for my taste.

 

[shortylickens]

Not really. I used to lurk this forum a lot and too many people are a little too far to the right or left for my taste.

USED to lurk?

 

[waggy]

yes. i can't remember the threads but it has happened.

problem is it hasn't happened in years. the Forum now as it is if you have a decanting opinion on the popular view you get shouted down and ran out. Even if you are right. Also the viewpoint is so fucked up its rather comical.

the last 2 years P&N has gotten so far in each direction its nuts.

 

[FoBoT]

i don't post or read anything in P&N with the expectation of anything (in myself or others) changing, including opinions or viewpoints or political alignments

 

[Infohawk]

I don't know about you, but sometimes it feels like nothing you (or others) say will change anyone's mind around here. People seem extremely stuck in their ways on both sides of discussions and I'm not sure that I've ever seen someone change their view here. Have you?

P&N serves two types of activities. Both are wastes of time. The first type is more prominent and involves people exorcising their psychological demons and trying to attack other people to make themselves feel better. The second is sort of like crossword puzzle. You exercise your brain by critiquing and defending arguments. Neither has an effect on the actual government in this country.

 

[monovillage]

P&N serves two types of activities. Both are wastes of time. The first type is more prominent and involves people exercising their psychological demons and trying to attack other people to make themselves feel better. The second is sort of like crossword puzzle. You exercise your brain by critiquing and defending arguments. Neither has an effect on the actual government in this country.

Nothing I ever do is going to have
"an effect on the actual government in this country"
I don't have that kind of money to spend.

 

[soulcougher73]

I voted yes. I didnt think religious nut jobs were as bad as i had heard about. Then i read P&N and i was blown away by the ignorance

But on a serious note yes i have. Actually a lot of my views have become more conservative after my time here. But only on fiscal issues. I'm still a social liberal. That will never change.

 

[nanette1985]

Yes. I can't remember specifics but there have been one or two posts/replies regarding medical issues/billing that I found quite informative

 

[Yetti]

USED to lurk?

Okay, okay. I still lurk a bit. I used to post a little bit around the site, but I wasn't a well known member. My post count got reset during the VBulletin switch, so now everybody thinks I'm some hardcore lurker that never posts. I don't come to AT that much anymore, but that's provably going to change real soon.

 

[werepossum]

I'd say yes, although since I don't view most policy issues as black and white, I'd say my views have shifted along the policy continuum more than anything. I've been posting here for quite a long time, and over that time I've rethought a number of things as a direct result of what I've read here.

I would also say that you shouldn't assume that the only useful outcome of the discussions here is people changing their minds about something. Even if you think more about your view as a result of something you've read here and end up with the same viewpoint, at least you're THINKING about your views, and that has quite a bit of value because your position is hopefully well considered. No position is ever going to go unchallenged here, which is good for the intellect

Well said. Everything we believe needs to be constantly evaluated, and the more fervently we believe it, the more we need to think about it. /Channeling Moonbeam

Okay, okay. I still lurk a bit. I used to post a little bit around the site, but I wasn't a well known member. My post count got reset during the VBulletin switch, so now everybody thinks I'm some hardcore lurker that never posts. I don't come to AT that much anymore, but that's provably going to change real soon.

Welcome back. 47 posts from 2000 (or from whenever the Vbulletin changeover happened) is certainly, um, restrained.

 

[RedString]

I can't think of any specific topics but I've definitely been educated on more than one occasion and had it change my views. Though often it just helps me analyze my own standing and compare my views and conclusions with others who have the same. Its interesting when people get to the same end following a different path. Though almost always each argument helps in my understanding of the topic. Save for a few which include certain people... I almost feel dumber having read their pov.

Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk

 

[Paul98]

I used to think people wanted to have reasonable discussions, and could be reasoned with given a good logical argument. Now I think many just talk based purely on emotion and opinion with nothing to back it up.