Have you ever really changed your mind about something, based on a debate or argument on fluther?

I can say that I have some rather strong opinions but the answers here have helped me see other’s points of view. I am not sure that I change my own opinion, but I can more easily accept what other people say.

Not as of yet. My opinions are fairly well formed after a lot of research into various areas. I don’t know that I would change my opinions based on one or two people’s assertions. I would have to do additional research.

No, but I have learned different perspectives on issues that concern me.

I haven’t changed my opinions on anything yet, but I have gotten a better understanding of some of the other sides views and can appreciate where some people are coming from sometimes.

Actually yes. I am open to reading people’s arguments and considering the possibility that I am wrong. There are also a lot of issues that I’m on the fence for and need extra information to make a decision, so Fluther has been really helpful with that.

Issues:
~Everybody Draw Muhammad Day
~McDonalds regulations
~Legal regulations on “illegal” drugs and smoking
Probably a ton of others I can’t remember.

I don’t think so – am I supposed to?

@Iclamae Interesting. Why not formulate a question about each one – with what you have so far in the details – and we can continue to discuss them. Remember: everything has been asked already – bu if you genuinely want to discuss something – you can always rephrase the question – especially in Social where it’s more lax.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir Make mad, passionate love to me. Bring your husband.

@zenele What?! wtf?

You aren’t attracted to me anymore?

@zenele Whatever. I didn’t mean to imply anything. That was my actual answer. I’m too sick right now to deal with this anyway or make passionate love. Let’s talk sometime later.

Often. I have learned a great deal from you, from @ETPro, from @Cuiser, from @tinyfaery, from @Simone_De_Beauvoir and from many, many others. No small part of it has been learning to be better behaved, which is still a work in progress, but I believe there is finally an observable difference.

Feel better dear. I didn’t know – I was just teasing, Simone

@dpworkin nice answer, I have also learned from them.

@zenele those that were listed are issues I’ve been given more information about and made decisions about. I’ve only just started asking more questions on fluther about things I’m on the fence about.

I was legitimately on the fence about the McDonalds question about regulating health and unhealthy food. After discussing it more, my conclusion was “it’s not whether or not we should regulate mcdonalds, it’s that we should reduce some of the regulations we currently have in place.”
That led to the discussion about illegal drug regulation and though I originally was pro-regulation for illegal drugs, the discussion led me to agree that people should be allowed to make the decision and more informative programs should be put in place to discuss these drugs and their effects.
The Everybody Draw Muhammad Day thing… well, I was originally totally for it. The discussion led me to really support it. Then another discussion with a mixture of peaceful muslims and atheists led me to support its message but not actually draw anything for the sake of taking the higher ground.

I’m on the fence about a lot of political events and will start posting more questions related to them in the near future.

^ I look forward to them.

@dpworkin That’s a nice compliment.

No.

And I’ve got your details right here, pal!

Yes I’ve learned and discovered lots, but I don’t think I’ve changed my mind about anything, or if I have, I assume that the transition is gradual and doesn’t happen overnight, so it might be a little hard to notice.

@tinyfaery Merely a sincere observation.

Yes, I have come to accept that it is very difficult to communicate online, and most statements are well meant, even when I read them with a different interpretation.

I am also getting used to the idea that to most people, certain words don’t really mean anything, and the word expletive really is all it is about. That fact still perplexes me, because I hate seeing a word that is descriptive of a pleasurable human activity used to mean the same thing as “Um, err, duh, and even yes” and other once vulgar language now commonplace.

Another example of the changing language is taking a formerly fun word and using it to describe a controversial life style, or as an insult. By doing research on the origins of words, I have discovered at lot of radical changes in the meanings and use of words, which is fascinating to me. Without questions here, I wouldn’t be doing any such research.

I think I was wrong once.
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Naw! Just kidding!

I don’t think I have ever come round to an opposite point of view of anything. But I have certainly broadened my understanding of many things and also (and not trivially) excised some bits of misinformation.

For the most part I have to say no, but I have to admit Kevbo‘s meticulously thought out and always well stated and rational views on conspiracy have caused me to do a ton of research on my own, and really have made me think in ways I had never really thought before.

I don’t think I’ve changed my basic viewpoints on anything but I’ve broadened my understanding of sexuality, race, gender and obesity issues. For that I am grateful to many thinking Jellies. I am still working on understanding conservatives.

I have and not all of it is good, to be honest. I’ve learned that people I thought were rational still buy into the ‘welfare queen’ rubbish. It’s mainly on social issues, so it shouldn’t surprise me, yet somehow, it does.

The positive is that I’ve been fortunate to meet people I admire and hear their side of things.

Probably. Can’t seem to think of anything at the moment. I’ve certainly enhanced my views based on Fluther, quite a bit. I’ve also formed opinions on things that I had no opinion on before.

I have understood alternative opinions on some things more clearly, but I haven’t actually changed my own. It would take much more evidence than a discussion on the internet for me to do that.

MY POV’s are pretty much set in stone and for very good reasons I might add so I really don’t think a Jelly has much opportunity to change them but I will say I have changed how I perceive Jellies based on their thoughtful reasoned discourse.

No.I know what I think about things and why.

@lucillelucillelucille, and the others who say their minds can’t be changed by discussion, Does that mean you have never once in your lives learned anything new from a single conversation?

I second that ^ – because a conversation here, especialy in chat, but also in thread, together with articles and video clips – why wouldn’t that be any more compelling than in “real life” – I mean, we’re real, the discussion is real and the articles are real. I don’t see much of a difference. Does one have to see the other person’s face for it to make a difference and be more convincing?

@dpworkin My mind has been changed a 1000 times over by discussion and is the very reason my POV’s are by now set in stone as I have invested the sweat equity to get to where they are. At my age I have also come to respect the limits of not only my own POV’s but others as well and no longer find the need to prove anything nor be proven much of anything! I just cherish each and every day I get and don’t sweat the small stuff.

@dpworkin -The question was…“Have you ever really changed your mind about something, based on a debate or argument on fluther?”
Not so much,no.
I know what I think about the things that count;)

Lucky you.

@dpworkin-I know how I feel about religion,politics,money and love and I’m doing just fine.
Luck has nothing to do with it ;)

Are you aware how arrogant you sound? Just sayin’.

@dpworkin -You are making it that way.
I didn’t come to these conclusions by chance or luck.Experiential education and learning through others..As for ever having changed my mind about what I know to be important and how I have lived my life for the past 46 years,I am doing just fine and do know who to go to for advice on these matters when I need it.

“All I know is that I know nothing.” Socrates

A closed mind is never a good thing. To think we are above learning is the height of ignorance and arrogance.

I think @janbb might have had her mind changed on Fluther today on which TV to buy. She must be weak.

Oh boy.

@dpworkin-I see nothing wrong with living one’s life according to one’s beliefs.I feel very strongly about the things that are important to me and my mind cannot easily be changed by the whims of others.;)psst-you know your arguement is weak?Just sayin’...:)
@tinyfaery-Concluding that one is closed minded by a simple answer to a simple question specific to Fluther is…well…..closed minded. :)

Well, I respect your conclusions and I believe that you mean what you say. I do, however, fail to understand. I would like to thank you explicitly for helping me keep the colloquy civil. This is the way things should always be – disagreement with respect.

@dpworkin & @lucillelucillelucille Let’s agree to disagree—disagree with sandwich-making. Easy on the lettuce.

@dpworkin -I agree…now let’s wrestle ;)
@bob-Lettuce handle this with violence! :p

Sorry. @bob_ , we are going to wrestle.

@dpworkin -Do you know that you can beat me or are you willing to be taught by a fluthererer?lol

I am a scrawny old geezer. I am shaking in my boots.

@dpworkin -That’s what they all say.Now go make me a sandwich! ;)

Fries with that?

@dpworkin -I don’t know how I feel about fries….should I ask a question about it?giggles

Get a room already. Sheesh, old people.

keep out of it jewboy

Yuck. Old people sex is gross.Old Jewish people sex is worse. Where’d I put my teeth?

@zenele You’re not the only one to say so.

@dpworkin You know I resemble that remark.

Funny, bob. Reminded me of the guy who visits his dad at an old persons home. The nurse, quite sexy in fact, is doing the rounds and manages to raise an eyebrow (and more) when she gives his dad a hot chocolate and a viagra.

He looks at his 90 year old dad smiling, looks at the cute nurse with the viagra aand says What the fuck…?

The Nurse smiles and says the hot chocolate puts them to sleep, the viagra keeps ‘em from falling off the bed.

(Zheesh – I go off to buy a t.v. and all hell breaks loose! Sandwiches, geezer wrestling, hot chocolate and Viagra! Now, what was the question?)

@janbb -So…did you get the RCA like I told ya?? ;)

@lucillelucillelucille No, I already had my mind made up!

@janbb -Ah,Damnit! ;)

@bob_ Get some mayo in that sandwich, with a glass of absinthe. Then we’re all happy.

@Symbeline bob has left the building. Actually, he was never in this thread. Are you drinking that absinthe again?

@Symbeline does this rag smell like chloroform to you?

@zenele He knows he was in here. :) But you can join, too.

Yeah I think I’ll just go to bed now. Goodnight yall. :)

@bob_ Grab her legs, I got her arms.

Still four more days of work, and I’m all messed up already…thanks for the good time yall lol. I’m out.