change in views

Former Member

anyone find it odd how much your views can change?

since going through this stupidly broody period, i've started to really change my views on abortion. before i thought that if i got pregnant at a time that i thought wasn't good, then i'd have an abortion. end of. Now, i've started to think that actually there is no way i could do this because i value life (to be more precise, the life i help to create) too much. But i still am pro-choice, i wouldn't look down upon another if they decided that that was the right choice for them. I've also changed my views on IVF. i still wouldn't do it because its invasive and stressful and unnatural, but i can understand now why other women would want to do this due to this odd instinctual feeling to procreate.

anyone else had a u turn in their beliefs?

Former Member

that isn't changing views i'd say - you have the same overall opinion in what choices people should have over their body but at the same time dont think you'd have it done

pro-choice doesn't mean you have abortions whenever you pregnant, nor are you forcing other women to have them, you respect their choices and make your own choices

Former Member

Yea but nothin fundamental just re-evaluate things from time to time, which I guess we all do. Used to think absolute communism was the best thing since sliced bread, these days I think we need a balance between the rights of the poor and hopeless to have a chance at life vs. exploitation of the system. Don't find it particularly odd that views can change though, I think it's good to be open to new ideas.

Former Member

I've changed my view on having an abortion PERSONALLY recently as well. I watched a thing on channel 4 on Friday where a woman in Nicaragua gave herself an abortion by getting a piece of like washing line cable with a hook on the end and pulling the foetus out because they changed the abortion laws over there. Now the idea of doing it at all, no matter how safe, makes me feel awful and I told Rich that no matter what he ever said to me, I would never do it. I do still support the woman's right to choose, obviously, but personally...never.

I have changed my views on some things before. Nothing I can currently remember but I know I have.

Former Member

and to answer on changing views i've been most places, when i was like 12 i was anti-tax, by 17 i was very much like the (traditional) labour party with nationalisation, centralisation and utilitarianism even if it infringed on the individual etc but these days i think moderate-to-high taxation is good, but crap spending isn't and i'm a firm believer in individual rights to fair and fast justice, the basic rule of law and innocent before proven guilty

Former Member

and then you met me and went a bit hippy ish?

Former Member

twisted_trinity wrote: »

and then you met me and went a bit hippy ish?

haha don't know about that, i think the law serves a good purpose, however it should be fair and be based on "you aren't allowed to these things, but you can do anything else" not "this is what you can do, everything else is illegal" as it's going at the moment

Former Member

I should think that most people have changes of views, even really stubborn people like me.

Former Member

The only huge change of view I've had on here is about drugs policy. Beforehand, you could trust me to read out the tabloids view on cocaine and the like in the same way as a parrot. However, I soon learnt that my views on drugs were hopelessly ill-informed, to put it charitably. I really didn't know what I was on about. Nowadays, I'm more relaxed about it, although I'm still not convinced by the idea we should legalise all drugs. Too many practical questions remain unanswered for my liking on that one.

Former Member

Of course I've changed my views on some things. You have to whenever a piece of evidence comes up that didn't exist previously. I haven't changed my logic though. I'd like to think that my opinions are logically consistent with one another. I don't think my mind has or will change on ideas of morality, but obviously my opinions on how best to achieve it probably will (and have).

Former Member

I change my mind more often than i change my underpants.

Indrid Cold

Someone said, "A person who never changes their mind is an idiot".

Former Member

Indrid Cold wrote: »

Someone said, "A person who never changes their mind is an idiot".

I wonder if he/she changed their minds about that after saying it... :chin:

Skive

Since posting here my opinion on lots have things have changed. I think I've definately become more liberal in general. I suspect the views on here have something to do with it but mainly I don't see things as so black and white anymore.

Indrid Cold

stargalaxy wrote: »

I wonder if he/she changed their minds about that after saying it... :chin:

There's a joke about it, but didn't want to mention it as this is a serious thread... But anyway.

"The man who said that only idiots don't change their minds, wasn't an idiot. So he changed his mind and said that only idiots change their minds. And since he wasn't an idiot, he never changed his mind again."

Former Member

I have gone from a centre right person who believes people who refuse to work should not have any benefits after six months, who wanted to join the military and serve her country, who was a patriot and a hard working Protestant...

To a far left pacifist, who refuses to eat anything from an animal, who is anti-capitalist, who believes the royal family are bullshit and could now never contemplate the military and who now leans more towards socialism.

I changed because I decided to educate myself. When I am 30, I'll be different again.

Also the people I have met down in London... Oh and attitudes to drugs and my own experiences with them too.

Former Member

Namaste wrote: »

To a far left pacifist, who refuses to eat anything from an animal, who is anti-capitalist, who believes the royal family are bullshit and could now never contemplate the military and who now leans more towards socialism.

I changed because I decided to educate myself. When I am 30, I'll be different again.

You'll probably look back at this part of your life and almost not recognise yourself. People can change so much in just a few years. While I am not sure that your above beliefs may be as strong in 10 years time, I am sure it will have given you a good base on building a sympathetic and compassionate view on humanity.

As far as the OP's question is concerned, my views have softened on abortion, teenage pregnancies and their right to withhold information from their parents, and a few other things.

Former Member

I used to be a staunch Labour voter :banghead:

Former Member

BlackArab wrote: »

I used to be a staunch Labour voter :banghead:

Me too ...

Former Member

BlackArab wrote: »

I used to be a staunch Labour voter :banghead:

It's not too late to repent for your sins.

Former Member

I used to think that if I got pregnant I would definately have an abortion, but now I don't think I could do it. I think most people become less selfish from when they're about 17, then they go to university, get well paid conservative jobs and start complaining about taxes/students/declining moral values....

Former Member

I don't think my views have changed, really, I still have the same core values and I always will.

It's the old cliche but motherhood has sorted out my priorities and I care more about the world, take more of an interest in the education system and so on. In the same breath I'd say the opposite is also true of me, in part, I think I care a bit less about other issues that I would have devoted more time and outrage to in the past. Now I'm devoted to the welfare of other people and I don't have that clamouring noise in my head that I've had since I can remember - "does the fact that I'm here actually bring anything positive to the world?, "how am I going to change things?"

I think I've become a bit less cynical and mean about things I don't really understand. I accept I can't be the authority on all issues and all things. Different priorities, for sure. My views haven't changed (and have only become more entrenched in some cases eg. women's rights issues, environmental concerns) but I'm more hesitant to voice them in a room full of people and am happier to listen than I ever was before... I think more, I think

Former Member

Someone told me the greatest skill you'll ever learn, and you will be successful no matter if you can master it - is to listen. :yes: I think it's really good to hear what other people have to say, so many times I've been having a conversation and someone is obviously passionate about what we're talking about that they dont shut up or let anyone else say anything.

Former Member

I like to think I have become more open minded especially in relation to drugs and people who take them. At school we are force-fed the same ole' shit 'drugs are bad mmkay..say no..don't socialise with druggies'. Now I realise it's just a lifestyle choice illegal or not. It might sound like I'm being a wash-out but I firmly believe in people's own choices and rarely look down on others for it. I may not personally want to take drugs but I understand it isn't my business not to judge those that do.

I believe that on the whole political-correctness is a good thing. I agree that sometimes it is taken way too far but fundamentally I think it's about universal politeness. The benefits outweighs the negatives.

Uhmmmmm...Not sure what else.

Former Member

I used to be centre-right. I used to oppose the EU.

Now I'm left of centre on most issues and I strongly support the principles of the EU.

As far as the original post concerning abortion goes I think that's a very complex moral decision... Even some staunchly pro-choice people have went over to the other side when put in the situation. Whatever everybody's personal feelings on abortion I think it's so important that it's respected as a personal choice - it's a woman's right to choose and even if someone would never personally have an abortion they should respect the rights of other women.

Former Member

My views change like crazy. In fact, I often contradict myself twice in the same breath.

But there are some things on which my views haven't changed--I'm for a woman's right to choose, always have been. And I'm pretty much convinced that no system of government will ever really work, and one should therefore change them as one pleases. But that won't work either, will it? That's just me being indecisive. :rolleyes:

Former Member

Actually, I've got to add one more to the list of views that have changed. (in this case, more specifically, is changing) My view on the death penalty. I was pretty much in favour of it for years - at one point, I even claimed rather foolishly that there were circumstances were torture was acceptable. However, I'm With Stupid pointed towards one argument yesterday which has made me seriously doubt whether it's the right way forward.

By nature, I'm extremely critical of the state and the way it seems to be forever trying to grab more powers. Yet by suggesting we bring back the death penalty, I'd effectively be giving the state probably the biggest power it could ever have over us - the power to decide if we live or die. I'm really struggling with this one...

Former Member

Used to be pro-death penalty, now anti (except in cases of trreason, mutiny and desertion to the enemy in war). But I suspect I don't hold that firm fews and a good argument either way could convince me to swing again

Former Member

There also seems to be a worrying trend for people to think pro-choice is different from saying I'd never have an abortion myself. I know lots of people who are pro-choice (and the clue is the word 'choice'), but would no more have an abortion themself than they would nail themselves to a cross and shout 'I'm Jesus'.

The point of being pro-choice is to allow the woman the right to choose whether to have the baby. It follows that if you are a pro-choicer you'd regard it as a morally acceptable to keep a pregnancy as terminate it.

Former Member

Flashman's Ghost wrote: »

Used to be pro-death penalty, now anti (except in cases of trreason, mutiny and desertion to the enemy in war).

The last one is an interesting one. Would you still advocate it if your army gave you orders to commit genocide and/or appalling war crimes and slaughter of innocents?

Former Member

Aladdin wrote: »

The last one is an interesting one. Would you still advocate it if your army gave you orders to commit genocide and/or appalling war crimes and slaughter of innocents?

Illegal orders - so I'm covered