Did you ever change anyones mind on the forums?

[Deleted]

Often enough discussions on the forums don't really end up with having a lot of minds changed!
And a lot of people just feel like they are the ones that are right! And so defend their own arguements.
Now there are simple topics like what color lemons are ( silly example ) And then there are the more complicated ones like peoples views on abortion or circumcision,Even though not allowed sexuality and religion. While these topics are quite personal and hard to change someone's mindset. Like changing a pro life person's opinion on abortion depending on the situation, Or making a pro choice person see it from the other side.

How persuasive are you? When you feel you're right do you do everything to make sure that person atleast understands what you mean and actually make it happen every now and then or do you feel like no one will ever change their minds (maybe including you ) so you don't really go into it.
And did you ever changed your mind even though you thought you couldn't possibly be wrong and did you admit it?

I myself haven't really been discussing much complicated topics myself as far as i can remember so i don't recall ever changing someone's mind on something.
And as for my mind being changed When i'm obviously wrong and all the facts are infront of me then yeah i do change my mind. but that doesen't mean i don't have my stubborn moments though

So what about you?
It would be nice if you can say in (slight)detail in what discussion you actually changed someones mind on, If you remember

[Ethes]

Fundamental issues like abortion, death penalty, etc. No! For less fundamental things however it is very well possible that a good arguement (i.e. a fact I wasn't aware of) can change my view on something.

[Cybran]

Not that i know of. I generally tag along to say what i think and why without huge hopes to change someone's mind. No one has ever influenced me via forums, mainly because i am very stubborn person, so i expect the same from other people and leave them.

[Deleted]

I don't think I've ever changed anyone's mind in a big way in General Off-Topic. As Ethes alluded, we typically talk about fairly 'big' issues here and, as such, people are often already quite sure about their position on such things (because, I believe, they are often reflections of our core morality/principles). However, I believe I have made people concede points on certain more trivial or impersonal issues (like foreign policy) and I have also been convinced to concede points myself.

[Raiju]

In forums that aren't covering IRL topics, yes frequently. Games forums, drama forums, etc. Because the topic isn't that important people aren't going to feel the need to defend their beliefs if something better comes along, because it is a game/drama/whatever else.

About real topics like the major OT ones? No. Never. Not even close. I don't think it's doable. The best I can imagine is a reconsideration on their part, and same for me. Your aren't going to change their mind but you can still inform.

[Very Tired]

Coming into forums with dead set ideals and stubborn stances on issues seems strike me as a problem. I'd try to convince you otherwise, but it doesn't look like I'll be changing your minds.

[Pendulous]

Usually, the only responses I get on forums is "yeah, same here" kind of comments. So, apparently my feelings are already pretty common.

I don't typically get my mind changed either. I'll have people correct me, and I accept being wrong, especially since it happens so often, but I never really get a "oh wow, you're right" feeling.

[Deleted]

Yes because i'm right. Consequently, they are wrong.


On the other hand some discussions help me make an opinion about topics I don't know anything about.

[Blood Fox]

Yes on more trivial matters, I Have also conceded points as well. IF you're not going to go into it with an open mind then there's no point.

[Stormcall]

On MMO-C ones, I don't know...not sure I've really tried too often though.

I have on some of the other forums I frequent though. One of them I was actually just trolling at the time, but I ended up getting the moderators to stop applying language filters on the board. See, they filtered all the standard curse words, and also the word "gay"(it was a music forum with a lot of subforums, people had a tendency to call things they disliked "gay"). I went on a big spiel, totally trolling, about how it was a shame someone who was gay couldn't even say they were gay on the board, and how it was discriminating, and so on and so forth, then went off on a side tangent about how it was also a shame "ass" was filtered, cause that prevented us from using words like "assassin" or "assets" without having to use symbols to bypass the filter and such. After a few days time, during which my support from the forum grew, the moderators conceded I had a valid point...and removed the filter from the forum.

[Tsuna]

More often than not the forums help me develop an understanding of things I'm less informed about. I've changed my mind about some things reading some threads. It's no good to be closed minded, but eh.

[Deleted]

I've had my own mind changed about things WoW related, I'm not the type of person to deny when I start to see something differently due to someone else. Never changed anybody else's mind though.

[Anakso]

Fundamental issues like abortion, death penalty, etc. No! For less fundamental things however it is very well possible that a good arguement (i.e. a fact I wasn't aware of) can change my view on something.

This sums up my feelings as well, and possibly if I've changed anyones mind on something.

For the big things like the ones listed above, almost positive I have not, but for smaller things I'm sure I have at some point. I just can't remember, probably because they're small things

[Morae]

I don't think it happens. I can't remember it happening to me at least. People also understand you always wrong. No minds changed, bad reading comprehension, ect. Result is visible to everyone.

Why do we even write here?

[Kerath]

I don't think I've changed anyone's mind - maybe made them consider another perspective, but not changed anyone's mind. I'm not a very persuasive person. Usually my argument gets kind of muddled when going from my brain to the keyboard and ends up as a spew of verbal diarrhea across the screen :P

I have had my mind changed though. It's not too difficult to do when someone actually bothers to discuss something civilly with me, instead of jumping to "NO U - AND UR FAES IS STUPID!" kind of arguments.

[Silhouette of Seraphim]

Probably not. But I sure give 'em the ol' what for!

[Kerath]

Probably not. But I sure give 'em the ol' what for!

If you can't convince them, confuse them!

[GennGreymane]

well when I first started everyone hated me, i posted a lot and argued with the popular posters

now no 1 gives a shit about me, im fine with this.

[Deleted]

I have had my mind changed though. It's not too difficult to do when someone actually bothers to discuss something civilly with me, instead of jumping to "NO U - AND UR FAES IS STUPID!" kind of arguments.

Exactly this, that level of debating should be left in the United States Senate where it belongs and not on our gaming forums.

[Reeve]

I've changed someone's mind before here. Not on any "major" issue, but I've certainly had someone back down and admit they were wrong. I've also backed down and admitted I was wrong before as well.