Interesting read and excerpts from people. I think my own views have shifted slowly over time, like the majority of your respondents, but that certain events and how one side responded to them also helped accelerate the change and were more likely to prompt me to change the terminology I use to define myself. Age, life stage, and the career path you choose are also part of it.
For example, I do private sector work and have gradually become a bit more conservative fiscally, but my friends who have public sector jobs are understandably a lot less reluctant to see more and more money showered on the public sector. They experience a less visceral caution about big-spending progressives. I'm still pretty moderate, but it's natural that me and my friends' interests have begun diverging due to this. You see which side is taking money from you, and which side is giving it. ("When you're a conservative, your biggest problem is that everyone else is taking your money. When you're a liberal, the biggest problem is that everyone else isn't giving you theirs." I like to think I mostly look past that simple dichotomy, but I can't deny that it has an influence.)
I'm no great admirer of John Maynard Keynes, but the line attributed to him is pure gold: "When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?"
Fascinating! Being exposed to "rational alternatives to echo chambers" resonates with me. I remember in the BLM era being told you're either racist or anti-racist (and therefore agree with progressive thought) and then listening to people like Coleman Hughes and thinking "I'm not certain I agree with him, but he's clearly not racist, stupid, and evil." It's hard not to slowly move your political views when you realize the people you've been agreeing with are either misrepresenting or undereducated on the best arguments against their position—they're not being good faith interlocutors.
I often find myself getting along better with people who've changed their political/ religious/ core beliefs at least once because they're seekers. They examined the relevant thinkers looking genuinely for the best argument and were open and reflective enough people to change their mind.
Interesting read and excerpts from people. I think my own views have shifted slowly over time, like the majority of your respondents, but that certain events and how one side responded to them also helped accelerate the change and were more likely to prompt me to change the terminology I use to define myself. Age, life stage, and the career path you choose are also part of it.
For example, I do private sector work and have gradually become a bit more conservative fiscally, but my friends who have public sector jobs are understandably a lot less reluctant to see more and more money showered on the public sector. They experience a less visceral caution about big-spending progressives. I'm still pretty moderate, but it's natural that me and my friends' interests have begun diverging due to this. You see which side is taking money from you, and which side is giving it. ("When you're a conservative, your biggest problem is that everyone else is taking your money. When you're a liberal, the biggest problem is that everyone else isn't giving you theirs." I like to think I mostly look past that simple dichotomy, but I can't deny that it has an influence.)
I'm no great admirer of John Maynard Keynes, but the line attributed to him is pure gold: "When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?"
Fascinating! Being exposed to "rational alternatives to echo chambers" resonates with me. I remember in the BLM era being told you're either racist or anti-racist (and therefore agree with progressive thought) and then listening to people like Coleman Hughes and thinking "I'm not certain I agree with him, but he's clearly not racist, stupid, and evil." It's hard not to slowly move your political views when you realize the people you've been agreeing with are either misrepresenting or undereducated on the best arguments against their position—they're not being good faith interlocutors.
I often find myself getting along better with people who've changed their political/ religious/ core beliefs at least once because they're seekers. They examined the relevant thinkers looking genuinely for the best argument and were open and reflective enough people to change their mind.