Has your political philosophy changed since joining DP?

I looked back at my own original statement of philosophy, made six years ago in my first post on this forum. I can't say as I've actually changed much, even though some have tried very hard.

This is the post I refer to

The statement about having invaded Iraq being a mistake was challenged pretty regularly at first. Now, it seems to be in line with most of the posts on this forum.

I seriously doubt that the change is because of the arguments I've made.

definitely. i'm more convinced that the bipartisan duopoly is very flawed, and i've grown less tolerant of hyperpartisans.

Nope. Not really.
http://www.debatepolitics.com/come-in-and-say-hi/96626-howdy-neighbors.html

I started as slightly conservative.... changed to libertarian-ish ... I haven't changed much, just kind of ironed out what I had a gut feeling about before.

If anything, I've become more and more critical of government and have moved farther to the left.

Not significantly. While I can't go back 20k+ posts, I was pretty much the way I am now when I got here and I don't see myself changing significantly any time soon.

I think I've remained the same or very similar (only been here a short time).

I am grateful for those honest & respectful debaters who have given me insight into positions I disagree, but can respect a bit more.

I originally knew, but also now got to appreciate, just how diverse the political thought in this big country is! I'm being exposed to ideas that are sometimes so different than mine, I can't believe they're legit; ideas so far from my consciousness (and sometimes my conscience), that they seem unfathomable. But I've found individuals who seem to sincerely believe and support some of these foreign-to-me ideas.

And finally, I've had to reexamine, further research, and better prepare my own ideas, giving me some better insight into my ideas (as well as making me a better debater/conveyor of my ideas).

Nope.

I will admit I've learned a few things though. Does that count?

BTW, here is my original "Hi, I'm New" post from back in June 2013. It lists my major positions.

http://www.debatepolitics.com/come-...e-my-positons-anyone-wanna-add-me-freind.html

I've become less fond of Libertarians, not that I was particularly fond of them to begin with.

They're not as bad as far left types, but my distaste for that lean has been, you know, nourished over the last few years that I've been on this forum.

Though it's not like I haven't seen folks of that sect that aren't smart and generally good debaters, there are a number of such folks on this site and others I've frequented.

My personal beliefs haven't changed much though.

Dittohead not! said:

I looked back at my own original statement of philosophy, made six years ago in my first post on this forum. I can't say as I've actually changed much, even though some have tried very hard.

This is the post I refer to

The statement about having invaded Iraq being a mistake was challenged pretty regularly at first. Now, it seems to be in line with most of the posts on this forum.

I seriously doubt that the change is because of the arguments I've made.

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1.) I just got here so I can't talk about this forum, but I've been on debating forums for literally a decade and a half. I've argued religion, politics (economics and social issues), science, logic, etc. For maybe the first 10 years or so, I definitely changed my mind on issues. For unrelated and related reasons to forums, I deconverted from Christianity, I became a New Atheist, I left New Atheism (but I'm still an atheist), I converted from conservatism to (rightwing) libertarianism to independent to libertarian socialist, and so forth. That process has involved me basically changing my mind on everything I believed in as a child/early teenager. I would say that reading opposing views, discussing things with people in real life, reading a lot about logical fallacies/debating, debating things online many times over again --it's informed not so much what I think, although that's important, but most importantly it's affected how I think. I have a firm grasp on logical fallacies and what it means to presented a logical, reasoned argument; I know roughly where and how to do research for evidence; I have a decently extensive understanding of world history, recent events, both from mainstream and not-often-discussed venues. And that makes a profound difference, I think, in how I see the world and interpret events than a lot of people who I meet, both online and off.

2.) Reading your intro, you seem like a well-spoke, well-thought individual. As a libertarian socialist and you being a right-wing libertarian, there's a lot of agreement but with certain areas of profound disagreement. Overall though, your intro post makes me suspect that I could have an intelligent conversation with you.

Helix said:

definitely. i'm more convinced that the bipartisan duopoly is very flawed, and i've grown less tolerant of hyperpartisans.

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Yea but it depends on how you yourself define "hyperpartisians" in your own mind. It could be your own hyperpartisian ways makes you very intolerant of what you see to be the other sides hyperpartisian :lol:

Saucey said:

Yea but it depends on how you yourself define "hyperpartisians" in your own mind. It could be your own hyperpartisian ways makes you very intolerant of what you see to be the other sides hyperpartisian :lol:

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Hacks on both sides annoy me. We're limited to two ****ty parties, and they both suck eggs.

Dittohead not! said:

I looked back at my own original statement of philosophy, made six years ago in my first post on this forum. I can't say as I've actually changed much, even though some have tried very hard.

This is the post I refer to

The statement about having invaded Iraq being a mistake was challenged pretty regularly at first. Now, it seems to be in line with most of the posts on this forum.

I seriously doubt that the change is because of the arguments I've made.

Click to expand...

I've changed a bit. I'm much less disposed to concede or collaborate in the denial of free expression than I was. I think if you've been here any length of time you'll have ample proof of how the arguments of the authoritarian, ultra-right, über-capitalist conservative and neo-imperialist hordes make much less sense the more opportunity their advocates get to expound them. Many, given sufficient hanks of rhetorical rope, seem almost reckless in their rush to hang themselves.

I'm much less enamoured of the EU project than I was five years ago, although still a committed internationalist.

I get as angry as ever I was at inequalities in opportunities, in the decline in social mobility and in the hypocrisy of those who claim to operate according to an ideological under-pinning and then buy into every opportunistic, populist issue of the day.

Mr. Invisible said:

If anything, I've become more and more critical of government and have moved farther to the left.

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That seems contradictory. Farther to the left usually means embracing more government.

Dittohead not! said:

I looked back at my own original statement of philosophy, made six years ago in my first post on this forum. I can't say as I've actually changed much, even though some have tried very hard.

This is the post I refer to

The statement about having invaded Iraq being a mistake was challenged pretty regularly at first. Now, it seems to be in line with most of the posts on this forum.

I seriously doubt that the change is because of the arguments I've made.

Click to expand...

I came in a centrist and am still a centrist, but maybe even more solidified as a centrist. The extreme partisans on both sides have just driven home the absurdity of their points-of-view.

I do have less of a respect for Libertarians (big L). Libertarianism (little L) is fine, in theory, even if naive, but Big L Libertarians just use and abuse the concept to try and rationalize their own individual selfishness, which ruins it for the real libertarians.

radcen said:

That seems contradictory. Farther to the left usually means embracing more government.

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Not necessarily and entirely dependent on the kind of government.

Dittohead not! said:

I looked back at my own original statement of philosophy, made six years ago in my first post on this forum. I can't say as I've actually changed much, even though some have tried very hard.

This is the post I refer to

The statement about having invaded Iraq being a mistake was challenged pretty regularly at first. Now, it seems to be in line with most of the posts on this forum.

I seriously doubt that the change is because of the arguments I've made.

Click to expand...

Can't say any philosophy has changed, but my awareness of the forces at play has certainly been fine tuned and expanded in the many years I've been dabbling in this type of forum

radcen said:

I do have less of a respect for Libertarians (big L). Libertarianism (little L) is fine, in theory, even if naive, but Big L Libertarians just use and abuse the concept to try and rationalize their own individual selfishness, which ruins it for the real libertarians.

Click to expand...

That's one thing I can agree with, I have no respect at all for big L Libertarians anymore, they come off as a bunch of delusional crazies to one degree or another. In fact, extremists of all stripes seem a lot less reasonable to me today than they might have at one time.

I just joined over the weekend so no.
So far I can see the "football politics" mentality is alive and well (as in "my team" must win at all costs) that makes me step back from both Democrats and Republicans but its been less than a week. Fair is far.

No change in the last two months...

Not here so much. I was on another political forum for years prior to here and while my philosophy didn't change a whole lot, I found myself debating with a lot of libertarians there... (real libertarians not fake GOP wannabe's now calling themselves liberterians) and it made me pay a lot more attention to the fiscal side of governing.

Thrilla is a member here that was at that forum as well that I would debate with quite a bit and he was one of those libertarians.

No, not really a change in philosophy or position to any great extent, but certainly more informed, and more tolerant of other perspectives.

Yes in the face of rabid conservatism here I've moved from political centrist to leans liberal. I'm still fiscally conservative in many areas (higher taxes, reduce spending on the military, eliminate most foreign, aidretirement age for SS, Obamacare etc), but after careful review I can't find a single GOP member on the national stage I can support.

radcen said:

That seems contradictory. Farther to the left usually means embracing more government.

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No, that's still basing on the false US right-left paradigm.

Helix said:

Hacks on both sides annoy me. We're limited to two ****ty parties, and they both suck eggs.

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well other countries have multiple parties that have members in a Parliament. They bicker in different ways, but they still have large bloated governments just as we do. And the people are no more free, and do not have more opportunities. The big fallacy is that they also have free speech, but they really do not. They can be censured in a heartbeat if it doesn't jive with the majority establishment.