How Much Have You Changed Since You Joined?

Tani Coyote

Son of Huehuecoyotl
Joined
May 28, 2007
Messages
15,191
Mentally, emotionally, physically even if you want. Politically and mentally though are the things I'm going for.

Emotionally:

I've become a bit more compassionate, but I'm no bleeding heart liberal.

Physically:

Probably gained a bit of weight as usual, obviously have aged a few years. Nothing special except kudzu hair.

Mentally/Politically:

CFC has a liberalising effect I swear.

Over my time here, I've maintained many right-wing principles but have moved more left-wing in practice.

I used to believe in no welfare; I blame Hannity taken to the extreme. I now believe in a guaranteed income via tax exemptions and transfers for the unemployed; it is hoped this would destroy the welfare state as we know it by requiring far less. I used to think that people were only at the bottom because of laziness; I now believe in equality of opportunity.

Similarly, I used to believe in the government running everything prior. I was called Mao despite being anti-Communist. I used to believe in raising taxes even higher and trying to alter the way things are produced. Now I believe in maintaining capitalism(until a later date) with flat taxes above the guaranteed minimum, and say government should be challenged at every turn and corner.

Furthermore, I would idolise the left during this phase, and was fervently anti-Bush. I dabbled in Truther theories at times and was on the "BUSH = HITLER!!!" bandwagon. I feel like an idiot.

I used to be fervently pro-execution. The chance of killing innocents and the greater expense of execution have made me pro-life imprisonment. In principle, though, I still remain pro-death, even if sadism says that the murderer doesn't deserve the easy way out and should beg for death like their victims begged for life, with the request similarly not being granted.

I used to be anti-universal healthcare. While in principle I'd like everyone to pay for themselves, I know our system cannot work that way. Now, I'm in favor of national insurance in every industry(I see no reason why just shifting money between people should be private; what goods does it produce?) to reduce costs across the board.

I used to be pro-tariff. Then an economist explained tariffs are only worth if it the nation is developing, as tariffs stifle free trade and quality as a result. I now believe in gradually lowering all tariffs to avoid an economic shock.

I used to be fervently imperialist. Arguably I still am(United States of the Americas FTW) in principle, but in practice, I understand it to be impractical and generally too expensive to be worth it. I now advocate peaceful integration; this is why I get so annoyed when people go "well we can't integrate with u cuz ur Murika." Makes me want to bring back the old me and give them a fun time.

I used to believe in the enslavement/extermination of undesirables during my statist/authoritarian phase. These undesirables were racists, Communists, archconservatives, fascists(oh the irony!), homophobes, nationalists, and probably a few others I've forgotten. Political dissidents in there I'm sure.

I have since realised this is impractical, morally reprehensible, and there's more satisfaction in smashing all of the above through logic rather than weapons.

It gets worse. I got the idea to use death camps when hearing on how to solve world hunger. Dear god, my heart must have been on vacation!

I used to want to take over the world. I'd love this, but I understand it'd take the hand of God to pull it off. I still want to be President, but I'd rather perfect America than try and conquer nations. Get your own house in order before you try to be the maid for another person(or two... or three... or...)'s.

I used to want to turn the world into a theocracy. This was after I founded my own religion and become uber-fanatical towards it. I have since lost faith more or less, and separation of church and state is in vogue for me.

Plenty of other policy changes most likely.

---

Keep in mind all of the above aren't in chronological order: I had an extreme left phase in junior high, and an extreme right-wing one in High School after listening to Hannity every day. And I still do shift at times as new ideas pop into my head.

So, how have you changed?
 
Is this a joke? Did you seriously believe those things? And all at the same time?

Edit: are you talking about the game or the real World?
 
Politically, not at all, but then again I was quite a bit older when I joined ;)
What made me a lefty was living in UK and seeing what right wing politics do to a country.
Made me appreciate the social democratic policies of Finland a whole heap.
 
Is this a joke? Did you seriously believe those things? And all at the same time?

Edit: are you talking about the game or the real World?
He's 17 and joined 3 years ago. You really wanna chastise a 14 year old for having a few ridiculous beliefs? When your name is "Ayn Rand"?
 
I can't say any long-winded essay or unneccessary comment thrown at me on this forum has ever really managed to change my opinion about something. That said my views have developed seperately since joining a few years back. For example I used to be anti-European until I realised that the EU was the only realistic route towards restoring the Birtish Empire :mischief:

On a more serious note I was about 14/15 when I joined so I probably did have some strange views. That being said, English children are a lot less exposed to politics/fanaticism them American ones, and they certainly weren't anything like the extent of the OP's. Ever since my political views first developed I've been to the left of centre and a supporter of various slightly authoritarian programmes such as CCTV cameras and ID cards. I have an American friend who thinks I'm a communist but I guess Americans probably think all Europeans are communists these days ;)
 
Ekolite said:
For example I used to be anti-European until I realised that the EU was the only realistic route towards restoring the Birtish Empire

I think the revitalised Roman Emperor has first dibs.
 
My views got more polarized. Reading statements from the republicans here, and getting more insight in American politics really made me lose what little respect I once had for that party.

Meanwhile, I found more respect for a great many other American members of CFC and it's people like you, who gives me a positive view of USA overall.
 
I became an atheist.
 
Is this a joke? Did you seriously believe those things? And all at the same time?

Nope. 100% honest. And it's all IRL.

If you read the whole OP, you'd also notice that they were not in chronological order; half the fun is guessing when I believed what. :D Some are obviously more reactionary, others are obviously more insane leftist.

There was a time when I thought Republicans cut spending.

:rotfl: Well, they cut welfare spending... good luck running the cut military thing by them though. Any savings from no longer helping people go right into killing people.

...nice set of priorities...

Politically, not at all, but then again I was quite a bit older when I joined ;)

Oh if only aging worked that way...

Stem cell research FTW!

He's 17 and joined 3 years ago. You really wanna chastise a 14 year old for having a few ridiculous beliefs? When your name is "Ayn Rand"?

This is correct. I'd say that just as adolescents go through many physical/emotional changes, political changes are just as possible provided they actually try and form opinions rather than buying into "Obama is awesome" and "Bush is SATAN" by default.

It's why I'm proud when I see religious young people, since that's unusual.

...I still consider it generally to be brainwashing though, so I suppose it's a moot point. :sad:

On a more serious note I was about 14/15 when I joined so I probably did have some strange views. That being said, English children are a lot less exposed to politics/fanaticism them American ones, and they certainly weren't anything like the extent of the OP's.

Aww... I'm singled out as having been insane at certain points.

Ever since my political views first developed I've been to the left of centre and a supporter of various slightly authoritarian programmes such as CCTV cameras and ID cards.

I don't mind cameras in public places by any means. It's public. You are not entitled to privacy in a public location.

Now if we were talking cameras in neighborhoods, the radical libertarians would have a point.

I never saw how the ID card violates liberty. I think libertarians go a bit too far at times with instead of just questioning the government, they outright reject something that'd make things more efficient.

Besides, what does having to carry a license on you count as? What about Social Security number, photo ID? We already have IDs in numerous forms, so we might as well have a formal one. Provided the police can't demand it without just cause, there's no issue.

I have an American friend who thinks I'm a communist but I guess Americans probably think all Europeans are communists these days ;)

Only our fringe. Actual socialism/communism would make the right crap their pants.

My views got more polarized. Reading statements from the republicans here, and getting more insight in American politics really made me lose what little respect I once had for that party.

They were better in Teddy and Abe's day, that's for sure.

Meanwhile, I found more respect for a great many other American members of CFC and it's people like you, who gives me a positive view of USA overall.

I'm flattered. :)

Why do I give you a positive view?

The fact that provided enough information, I'm willing to compromise my principles for new policies? Provided the info supports the policy, of course. :p I'm skeptical of taking things solely on the basis of some "morality", considering morality is used by both the left and right to pass their agenda.

Learned a lot more politics, got older, smarter? and started typing you and see instead of u and c

Oh god yes this. That is the rite of passage into being a human being, I feel.
 
At first, I became a lot more open to listening to other viewpoints. Gradually I realised that there are some people who are just not worth listening to. There are some right-wing types who are clever people who I just disagree with, but there are some people on here who are just not worth bothering with.
 
I've gained some weight, drifted to the right, learnt lots, lived abroad, changed some opinions.
 
I've gained weight (from stick to thin), learnt half a tonne of stuff (Metric, not Imperial), never lived abroad and have got progressively more left-leaning as I've approached my 30s. (By that I mean I increasingly favour government intervention to eradicate poverty, human rights abuses and other utter failures to be human.)
 
I've changed my opinion a lot since I was 18, when I first joined. I've started doing more to make a difference, rather than pretending that merely having opinions was enough. I've changed my mind on lots of issues; some have directly resulted from interactions in OT.

Physically, I've lost weight (1st yr of uni, from playing football and eating less) then put on weight (since then), then lost a bit of weight (since I started playing football again). I'm not more physically fit than I've ever been, which is a sad indictment of my prior physical state.
 
Grown an opposition to capital punishment, adopted a live-and-let-live approach with religious people, and became convinced marijuana isn't actually that dangerous.
 
Top Bottom