Are You Set in Stone?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Are You Set in Stone?

Posted: 6/12/2003 1:10:25 PM EDT

Just curious. Has anyone successfully had their opinion or position on a matter changed as a result of someone else's argument? If so, do you admit it or are to stubborn to "give the satisfaction to them?" This stems from reading the hot topic threads like the Israeli issues, Creationism, Religion, Cops vs. Cop Bashers, etc. These threads tend eventually to degrade to "I'm right, you suck" and the intellectual debate fades into obscurity.

Posted: 6/12/2003 1:13:59 PM EDT

[#1]

your question is invalid.............you assume that i've ever been wrong [;D]

i've been swayed before, but it doesnt happen often, as i like to be as knowledgable as possible to start with if im going to have a "solid" opinion

Posted: 6/12/2003 1:35:39 PM EDT

[#2]

I tend not to take a strong stand on something that I don't know A LOT about - this approach has worked well for me and saved me much embarrassment.

If I know what I consider to be "enough" about an issue (through formal education, personal experience, etc.), I will take my stand and defend it to the best of my abilities. If it is just my OPINION, I will treat it as such. Treating a personal opinion or an anecdotal event like Gospel Truth is what gets a lot of folks in deep water on the wrong side of intellectual debates, IMO.

Oh... all of this should be assumed correct, because I said so! [:D]

edited to add:
Sorry, I didn't read read Tex's response above before posting mine. He essentially said the same thing, but more succinctly. I should have just pointed up and said "ditto." But I have never been accused of using too few words - if it's worth talking about, it's worth talking to death...

Posted: 6/12/2003 1:51:41 PM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
These threads tend eventually to degrade to "I'm right, you suck" and the intellectual debate fades into obscurity.

View Quote

I've never seen an "intellectual debate" on a discussion board. Do they have those here?

Posted: 6/12/2003 1:54:16 PM EDT

[#4]

Well, they can be good debates if you skip the personal attacks that usually follow a good argument.

By the way, I don't do that because I'm never wrong and I know it, you know it, everyone knows it.

Posted: 6/12/2003 1:58:05 PM EDT

[#5]

In fact, yes, I have been persuaded by a solid, intelligent argument.
On abortion. Somebody asked me why the government should involve itself in the issue of abortion when we believe gun ownership should be none of the government's business.
I decided it should be a state's rights issue (to the extent that states can have rights), instead of a federal issue/being banned.

Posted: 6/12/2003 2:02:45 PM EDT

[#6]

I try not to be set in stone about anything, save my RKBA, and my morals and values.

Just about anything else, I'm open to differing ideas and will listen to FACTS regarding those ideas.

I used to be pretty anti-SUV, but not near as hardcore as some tree hugging hippies. After some discussions here, I'm very neutral now. I personally wouldn't own a huge SUV (and sometimes still laugh at the soccor mommies in them that have hard time parking them in COMPACT CAR spaces), but my buddy got a new Tahoe that's absolutely LOADED, and I think it's sweet as hell.

Posted: 6/12/2003 2:06:14 PM EDT

[#7]

[b]yes[/b] on a few things, the one exception would be the abortion issue, on that I feel everyone has already made up their mind.

Posted: 6/12/2003 2:07:27 PM EDT

[#8]

[b]I'm right, you suck![/b]
[img]http://www.click-smilie.de/sammlung/mittelgrosse/medium-smiley-124.gif[/img]

Posted: 6/12/2003 2:08:11 PM EDT

[#9]

cyanide
I see you are wearing your succinct hat today

Posted: 6/12/2003 2:08:20 PM EDT

[#10]

Actually , I tend to avoid the hot topics on this forum ....I come here to learn things , and for personal ammusement , not to have arguments with complete strangers.....

As far as being stubborn goes , I always stand up for what I believe in , especially if I have my facts straight....but I have learned it is always best to listen to other's points of view , for one , I will learn something , and it gives me info to drive home my argument..

People who cannot admit when they are wrong is one of my pet peeves....

t

Posted: 6/12/2003 2:08:57 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
cyanide
I see you are wearing your succinct hat today

View Quote

ok I will expound !

Posted: 6/12/2003 2:13:19 PM EDT

[#12]

I really try to keep an open mind.

The biggest thing I've been turned on is capital punishment. I frankly think the opponents have the stronger case.

I'm taking a class now on the ethics of war and terrorism, it's a philosophy class taught by a peace activist.

I struggle to think about war in terms of morality and ethics, but it is just so damn hard. Everything keeps coming back to "But it's war, it's different." The philosophers keep arguing about the morality of war, as if it was no different from any other human activity regulated by law or social morality. You have to divorce yourself from reality, and yet the issues and atrocities we discuss are all political and "real", not theoretical. It's hard.

Posted: 6/12/2003 5:38:27 PM EDT

[#13]

I will listen to other peoples opinions but I rarely, if ever change what I believe. I don't argue a point unless I know I am right.

Posted: 6/12/2003 5:38:53 PM EDT

[#14]

I've changed my mind on many issues based on new information. What I do NOT do, however, is change my mind based simply on someone's rehashed argument using information I already knew.

Posted: 6/12/2003 6:14:14 PM EDT

[#15]

In my above post I claim to avoid hot topics on this forum , and to not get in arguments with strangers , this is funny because I wound up getting in two separate debates/arguments this evening......

never say never.....

I also remembered why I hate doing that ...no closure...

t

Posted: 6/12/2003 6:17:36 PM EDT

[#16]

Drug War.
A fellow officer tried to convince me that it was wrong in 1989, but I wouldn't listen. About 5 years ago, I realized he was right.

Posted: 6/12/2003 6:19:20 PM EDT

[#17]

I have become more ambivalent about many issues after listening to arguments on both sides.

For example abortion, I think is wrong, but I think it should still be legal.

I also think capital punishment is a good idea, bit I think too many people are killed who aren't guilty of the crimes they die for.

Posted: 6/12/2003 9:01:49 PM EDT

[#18]

I'm married nothing is set in stone!

Posted: 6/12/2003 9:05:32 PM EDT

[#19]

I am flexible in my opinions.

I used to dislike Liberals...Now, through lively debate, and thought-provoking discourse- I hate them.

Posted: 6/12/2003 9:30:21 PM EDT

[#20]

[b]"...give the satisfaction to them?"[/b]

Um, no. I'm from the pre-Bill and Monica era, when a polite acknowledgment was sufficient.

cynic

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Are You Set in Stone?

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