Have your politics changed much throughout your lifetime?

[bergmann620]

I have been posting to these forums here and there for almost 5 years at this point- a pretty decent stretch by internet standards. My political beliefs have certainly shifted by degrees over that time, as have some of my opinions on specific policies (like health care). Both through discussions here and other places, many of my views have evolved- if not the principles behind them, certainly my knowledge and perspective on the world.

I described myself to a friend yesterday as a "conservative-leaning capital-socialist libertarian" which seems like a compound oxymoron.

The full journey can be found here: http://bergmannity.com/political-reality/

So, has any online or in-person debate ever shifted your political or policy perspective? Have you changed your outlook on the label you'd affix to yourself over the years?

[Themius]

Yes, I used to be a greedy, I want to keep all my money away from those not as hard working takers, Republican.

[Revi]

I think most of my political views have shifted gradually, mostly due to facts and numbers relating to policies, but also the occasional solid argument to make me realize how they'd work in practice.

My values are mostly the same as they've ever been, but yeah my ideas of how to best tie them into working policy has changed a lot.

[Deleted]

Sort of I guess. I was around for the end of the Thatcherite era when the UKs economic trajectory was changed enormously but we've not had any major changes since then at least in regards to economic policy. When it comes to more social policy we built up a much larger welfare state during the Blair era but it has proven perfectly sustainable.

Edit: well I misread that title....

I guess as I've aged I've had less belief in liberalism (European style, not America) and more in strong government but that's about it.

[Reeve]

I think most of my political views have shifted gradually, mostly due to facts and numbers relating to policies, but also the occasional solid argument to make me realize how they'd work in practice.

My values are mostly the same as they've ever been, but yeah my ideas of how to best tie them into working policy has changed a lot.

Pretty much this. I wouldn't say I've had any wholesale values shifts (aside from that one year when I was reading too much Ayn Rand in college), but as I learn more things, I refine my views and learn new policy ideas that can help fulfill my goals better.

I used to tell people I was "socially liberal, but fiscally conservative" until I realized it's a totally meaningless empty phrase.

[zenkai]

I use to be Liberal then I got an education. I use to be a conservative, then I became less of a hypocrite.

[Deleted]

I'm a socialist, but have not always been that. When I was younger I was more angry/hateful, which also affected my political views. Now I'm married and got children, education etc and that development changed me and how I think about others. (got a degree in social education)
I think that the people that are in our lives, and the things that happens in our life, changes us constantly. However - no I don't think that a stranger online ever changed me for better or worse.

[bergmann620]

When I was younger I used to be more conservative...

It's interesting, because I think for a lot of people, it's been pretty consistently that they get more conservative as they age, but recently I've seen it trending back the other way.

I wonder if it's a function of our experiences, or if we've just had terrible people carrying the mantle of conservatism for a while now.

I wonder how a Reagan (updated for today, of course) would get by. I kind of felt like we almost got that from Romney before he jigged to the right for the primaries.

[Deleted]

Can't say it changed in the last 5 years but at first I voted left and now I only protestvote "NonVoter"-parties so the right wing doesn't get that high percentages.

[Deleted]

when i was a teenager i was quite left leaning, but as ive got older ive swung further and further to the right.

[Crissi]

I used ot be a lot more inflexible, and that was toward the left. Ive sionce become a moderate, and i am fine with that. I cant imagine moving farther right since that would compromise some core beliefs that Ive always had.

[Swizzington]

It's interesting, because I think for a lot of people, it's been pretty consistently that they get more conservative as they age, but recently I've seen it trending back the other way.

When I was in school, well firstly I didn't really politically align myself any direction, because I never gave it much thought, but I'd say I was much more liberal about things, not that I really cared. I was really apathetic and felt like voting was pointless.

As I grew up and moved to the USA I've become more and more conservative around immigration, and when I was still in England, very anti-EU, whilst being very liberal on other issues like guns and abortions and all that stuff.

No discussion online, or in person for that matter, has ever changed my views, nor I doubt will it ever. My own experiences shape what I believe for the most part.

[Cosmoz]

Yup. Once upon a time leftism seemed like a good idea, ugh cringe.

[Garnier Fructis]

I used to be more conservative, and a Christian. Then I learned about Evolution and the Big Bang, and my path away from Christianity was set. Gay marriage, abortion and all this other stuff propelled me more and more to the left. Then the conservative clown show of climate change denial sealed the deal and I pretty much just gave up whatever conservative ideas I had and hitched a ride to the left.

My politics have changed mostly because the side I started out with had too many groups that I just could not associate with in good conscience. If you have to filter reality through your wallet (or the impact addressing reality you think will have on your wallet), then I no respect for you and want nothing to do with you. That effectively rules out a large portion of American conservatives.

[Deleted]

I was pretty far on the right side, politically, when I was an edgy 14 year old.

Then I grew up and wasn't anymore.

[Deleted]

Not really, I am a firm believer of being the harshest critic of what I believe in and what I support, and if I was to ever change ideology it would likely be on my own merits and conclusions, not others. Doesn't mean there have been points from opposition, where I have seen better solutions to problems, and that is also why I prefer moderate and/or broad deals and not hardline right/left.

It does however make one rather frustrated in some fellow political minded people, who spends too much time projecting on the opposition and dabbling in hypocrisy and exceptionalism

[Sluvs]

I used to be conservative. Because had a belief that the world was already fair enough as it was. Eventually that bubble was burst, and i started to see the world in a different light. Today its pretty clear that i lean towards left, even though i try to keep my views balanced, getting ideas from both sides, as i REALLY like my balance, but i clearly favor the left side of politics a bit more.

[Independent voter]

Haven't really changed much. I vote mostly a straight Democratic ticket and that hasn't changed. On MMO-C I seem pretty right wing but in real life I'm a little left of center.

[Garnier Fructis]

One of the more amusing ironies I've observed in my life is that before I went to college, I was told by someone that I would be indoctrinated and then would spend some time afterwards coming back to the right.

Suffice to say, lots of conversations with this person where I consistently challenged their assumptions and reasoning has helped them go from the right to the left. So much for that.

[Doctor Amadeus]

No not even a little. I was more arrogant and cocky, but I always hated republicans and conservatives.