Has your opinion of issues changed because of WF?

We all love to argue an issue or a point, or else we wouldn't all be here, and that got me thinking: Has a post here ever changed your opinion on a serious issue?

For myself, no. Or at least I don't recall. But quite a few post over the years, have made me look hard at an issue from a different perspective, even if it didn't fundamentally change my position on it.

Discuss.

When I first joined here, yes -- I had my eyes opened to some convincing arguments, particularly with regard to economics and politics. I've also been educated on a few topics, of which I'd never have come across had I read threads about it.

Yeah, I've come to the conclusion that firearms laws should be handled at the state level. That's pretty much directly from gunforge threads.

Well, not any one particular thread has changed my mind, but I'm definitely more conservative than I used to be. A year before I joined WF, I took a test in my Government class that proved me to be the most liberal in my class.

I imagine it'd be a bit more neutral now.

Yes, I now need about 6 guns. Also I question the North's motivation in its Aggression against the South.

Well, I've been convinced that strict gun control simply isn't a practical idea for the United States and that even if it were somewhat practical it wouldn't be worth the political capital it would cost. I suppose that's more changing my mind than being convinced, because it's not really logically related to the positions espoused by gunforge, but it is a definite change of mind brought about by this place.

I used to think Southerners who dwell on the Civil War were nuts. Since coming here I've found they're far worse than I thought!

I used to think I was right on all the issues.

Having heard from the likes of Liet, Cass, Packard, Xerafin, Archangel, gul and others here of the counter-arguments, I now know without no uncertainty that I am right on all the issues.

"If you're not liberal by the time you're 20, you have no heart. If you're not conservative by the time you're 30, you have no sense. *belch*"

WInston Churchill (With edits )

I've become less interested in libertarian arguments because they all seem so self-centered and lack any practical sense of realism.

Nevertheless, I remain convinced that government does pose a problem when it oversteps its bounds, as in the case of the Patriot Act.

My eyes have definitely been opened to the idea that all breasts are good breasts.


Even Storm's

As if that were anything but a virtue.

No, what you mean is, "it's not practical for me to achieve my socialist/statist goals under the framework of a libertarian government."

Putz.

I don't know. I'm sure it's had some effect. I was pretty apolitical (not to mention young) when I started posting back on TNZ.

Self-centeredness is indeed not a virtue in a representative democracy. Enlightened self-interest, however, is. There's a difference.

I didn't ask for your democracy or your approval, so, you know, fuck you and it.

I used to think states should control marriage laws, but Storm and Tex's beautiful relationship has shown me that gay marriage should be legal everywhere, as who should stand in the way of their love for each other's bungholes.

You had me...

...Aaaaaaand you lost me.

You didn't ask for the force of gravity, either, but there it is.

Count me as another one who has become more "conservative" when it comes to gun ownership.

I'd also say I've come to appreciate the arguments about the Stars and Bars, though I don't necessarily agree.

Some stereotypes confirmed that I always denied were real.

What really changed is my outlook on government. Until WF it all just was as it was and probably necessary. Now, after hearing certain people bitch and moan for years I'm convinced that the Austrian administration is bloated beyond all belief. Funny enough, that puts me at odds with the conservatives, the social democrats and the near fascist ultra right and closer to the Greens.

I guess I'm just lucky in my real life day-to-day dealings, but I don't generally run into the kind of hardheadedness and single viewpoint "discussions" like I do on the net. I'm guilty of it too I admit, but it seems like there's no real exchange of ideas, just one side spouting off a viewpoint and the otherside telling the first they are wrong and stupid for thinking it in the firstplace.

Definitely changed during my stay on here - came here with something I considered to be "Christian beliefs", now I'm a proper atheist. That didn't have much to do with WF though.
Probably had most of an effect on me on issues of tolerance - became a lot more tolerant (e.g. I used to hate gays and drugs ), couldn't really tell you whether that was WF or something else but saying WF had no part in that would probably be lying. Definitely became a lot less afraid to speak out rather bluntly on certain issues that simply make people round here (IRL) go "". Also found quite some more convincing arguments on some issues on here and sometimes good points contrary to my position. Comes in helpful when I'm doing debates - usually I know what to say no matter what position I'm asked to say. It's quite fucked up, actually, if you ask me.

By now - as Summerteeth said - well, not really much anymore. Partly because of what WF is now and partly because of who I am now.

It's called 'growing up'

i've gone from anti-gun to pro-gun, and my view on the death penalty has swung from being vehemently against it to agreeing to it in principle, but still uncomfortable with it in practice.

i've also gone from being semi-statist to being far more libertarian, although i suspect a few libertarians on the board might disagree with my support for basic universal healthcare under the aegis of national defence/security, whilst most of the pro-universal healthcare would shudder at my desire to see it strictly limited!

See, I could go for the easy comeback here but as I've done just what you're talking about, I won't.

Back many many moons ago an old friend from high school walked into an old fashioned service station and bumped into me smoking a cigarette and drinking a clear liquid out of a mason jar.

He said, "[Insert real name here]!! I didn't ever think I'd see you smoking and drinking." My reply was a very simple, "I grew up" accompanied by a

Hmm.

Basically it has really made me see in the last few years, as well as my own circumstances, that none of it really matters.

Humanity has overcome, for the most part, the food chain in favor of a more intellectual exsistance. It seems that we can't really let go of basic instinct however, so we have become our own worst enemies as a form of recreating the food chain and having problems to overcome because we just can't stand the tedium of exsistance without purpose.

Political parties, trying to control each other, illusions of power, financial games...all new versions of the food chain, new forms of survival of the fittest and all, ultimately meaningless.

Thanks for the nothing, WF!