Comments on: In the middle… http://www.tobiasly.com/2004/07/21/in-the-middle/ My blog about triathlon training, technology, politics, and dogs Sun, 05 Feb 2012 11:49:30 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: peter http://www.tobiasly.com/2004/07/21/in-the-middle/comment-page-1/#comment-1570 peter Wed, 21 Jul 2004 18:27:03 +0000 #comment-1570 Hear hear! A political point we agree on. :) I remember two years ago, I didn't have too strong of feelings on these issues, and made a conscious effort to change that. One of the most effective methods was debate. I found a fair-sized group of intelligent and mostly well-informed, well-read, respectful individuals across the political spectrum. Early last year, they debated whether we should go to war in Iraq, and listening to them, participating, and researching some of the points they made helped me make up my own mind and form an opinion that was truly mine. <br /> <br /> But I can't say I disagree with everything the guest said either. While you should have opinions that you can support, I believe you should also be willing to change those opinions, in cases of, as Churchill said, "convictions of honor and good sense." Otherwise you become, as Thomas Paine said, a slave to your present opinion. (Apologies if I've overquoted.) <br /> <br /> The problem with "hurry up and make up your mind" is that you'll likely start off (and hopefully but not necessarily changing soon thereafter) repeating someone else's viewpoints, instead of hearing both sides and making up your mind for yourself. That's what bothers me when these ad campaigns say, "Go vote! Go vote now! You have to!" without offering any advice for making an INFORMED vote, which is far more valuable than an ignorant one. <br /> <br /> Regardless, I don't think we have any reason for concern that people will all end up in the middle holding hands and singing kumbaya anytime soon! Hear hear! A political point we agree on. :) I remember two years ago, I didn’t have too strong of feelings on these issues, and made a conscious effort to change that. One of the most effective methods was debate. I found a fair-sized group of intelligent and mostly well-informed, well-read, respectful individuals across the political spectrum. Early last year, they debated whether we should go to war in Iraq, and listening to them, participating, and researching some of the points they made helped me make up my own mind and form an opinion that was truly mine.

But I can’t say I disagree with everything the guest said either. While you should have opinions that you can support, I believe you should also be willing to change those opinions, in cases of, as Churchill said, "convictions of honor and good sense." Otherwise you become, as Thomas Paine said, a slave to your present opinion. (Apologies if I’ve overquoted.)

The problem with "hurry up and make up your mind" is that you’ll likely start off (and hopefully but not necessarily changing soon thereafter) repeating someone else’s viewpoints, instead of hearing both sides and making up your mind for yourself. That’s what bothers me when these ad campaigns say, "Go vote! Go vote now! You have to!" without offering any advice for making an INFORMED vote, which is far more valuable than an ignorant one.

Regardless, I don’t think we have any reason for concern that people will all end up in the middle holding hands and singing kumbaya anytime soon!

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