Since we’re including matters of scientific fact here…
I used to believe that a large-aperature telescope could increase the surface brightness of an image. CalMeacham and others corrected me on that, gave convincing arguments for his corrections, and helped dig out the root of my misconception.
Although I have learned a tremendous amount from the Dope, I haven’t changed many of personal opinions based on my time here. What has changed is my attitude toward others who don’t share those opinions. I used to be very rigid and judgmental about many issues, and think that everyone should share my views and act the way the way I act. Now I’m much more likely to think that other people’s views are just as valid as mine, and even if I truly believe that something is right or wrong, that doesn’t mean that everyone else should believe it, or have to follow my rules. On many issues where I have fundamental disagreements with people on these boards, I now think that the choice should be up to the individual.
Hellestal was able to demonstrate how little I know about economics, I’ve changed my mind on global warming also - I was never really strong one way or the other; but the consensus of the dope swayed me in their direction. The thread about union membership was very enlightening and made me think more about the down sides of unionization. In general I like the dope because it has people with much different opinions than me, and many of them are not overly thin skinned about going back and forth when there is disagreement.
I used to imagine that a tiger would be a match, if not actually be favored, in a pit fight against a lion (both full grown adult males). Though come to think of it, Tigress vs. Lioness may still be an open question.
Please be so kind as to proceed to Cafe Society and post your recipe (for tamale pie). And then I will post mine.
Feel free to wait until after dinner.
I learned a lot on these boards, and one subject where I did a 180 turn is on GM food. I don’t know much about biology and genetics, so I fell for the unscientific fear-mongering that is common where I live (and predominantly spouted by people who are close to my place on the political spectrum). It was just an uninformed feeling of unease with GMOs, but especially the argument that genetic engineering is equivalent to millenia of cultivation and breeding convinced me that it’s a technique that can be used for the good of mankind and nothing to fear.
There are certainly a host of issues on which I’ve learned a lot and which changed my understanding from “I have no clue” to “I know a little bit about …” I like to think I’m pretty self-aware and don’t tend to hold opinions on things I’m clueless about. I have learned from here that there are a lot fewer folks like that than I would have hoped.
I don’t frequent GD, so my SDMB-caused opinion changes have been more mundane.
The specific one which comes to mind is loading flatware into a dishwasher business-end-up or handle-up. I was always a business-end-up guy thinking it makes for better cleaning. A discussion here convinced me there’s no difference in cleaning and a big increment in safety by loading handles up. I tried it and they were right about no difference in cleaning. And I’m generally in favor of operating your life to maximize passive safety measures. So now I load handles up.
But … I just got a new dishwasher with a horizontal silverware tray. So this issue is now moot for me.
Like I said, super mundane.
I wonder what opinion or habit the 'Dope will change for me next?
I thought concepts in Orwell’s 1984 like doublethink and crimestop were entirely fictional. They’re not.
Regards,
Shodan
Shagnasty helped me change my opinion from “some travelers are just self-righteous jerks” to “Okay, perhaps there’s a real spatial/mechanical problem on commercial airlines.” and I was quite struck by my shift in position.
I still don’t think Knee Defenders are a proper approach (or perhaps they should just be pre-installed on all seats) but there’s definitely a problem with the trend in narrowing those passenger aisles that needs to be addressed by the aircraft industry.
—G!
Nothing.
Nor do I imagine I’ve changed anyone’s mind about anything important.
I think I’ve learned that while I may have a fair breadth of knowledge on a lot of topics there are some truly smart people on these Boards that humble me. Stranger on a Train comes to mind.
That Starship Troopers really is a great movie.
Nah just kidding, it blows.
There have probably been a number of facts I learned in GQ but I can’t exactly remember which ones.
Most importantly I’ve learned that it just isn’t that important to get involved in arguments . I don’t enjoy arguing like many seem to and the ones most likely to join in are the least likely to be swayed. Which is why you will rarely find me in GD.
Girls in the communal shower.
Come on now!
Totally changed how I thought about abortion. Before, I’d been leaning against my religious upbringing to become pro-choice, but after reading lots of cites and facts, plus the logic behind them, put me stolidly in the “don’t fuck with women’s rights” camp.
I also think I moved away from seeing transgendered folk as “other” and instead, just like everyone else. I’ve learned so much about that and I have to give the bulk of that credit to Una.
And I’m certain there’s tons of other little things. I’ll constantly be reading along, realizing I didn’t know Jack about something, and totally appreciating the lesson I’m being taught on, say, why Liberians cling to funeral customs that might prove deadly to them and now the larger world. It’s just amazing how much knowledge gets disseminated here. It’s awesome.
I’ve learned lots of things here mainly from reading along. Facts, fallacies, how to argue better and to check things before spouting off, the importance of cites, what makes a good cite and what makes a poor one, etc.
But actual topics that changed my opinion? I can think of only two.
(and don’t hit me for the first one)
Americans aren’t the caricature I imagined. I’ve got a lot more nuanced view of the country and its inhabitants over the time I’ve been reading here. I find I quite like a lot of things about it, whereas years ago (with TV & news as my primary exposure to things American) I did have some unfair anti-American sentiments bumping around in my brain
The leaving kids in a hot car issue. I used to be convinced it was 95% of the time a way to get away with offing your kids / 5% of the time a true accident. I now think it’s about the opposite. I will always side-eye the cases where the parents seem dodgy, or something was wrong with the kid, the same way you side-eye the guy with crazy eyes, a mistress and financial difficulties whose wife goes missing and he cries on tv appealing to the public for help… But I have changed my mind on the majority of hot car / kid tragedies, now that I have more understanding of how the brain functions in cases like that, and I no longer think “I haven’t ever forgotten ICE CREAM in the car, let alone something that’s supposedly the centre of my world, the murderers”, but “those poor bastards will never forgive themselves, how awful for all concerned”
After my Father and his associates in the 5th Army Air Corps came over there and helped you guys out in 1942? Shame on you!
Father told me the Australian sense of humor varied from the American, so note that the smiley indicates that I am joking.
I take it back- there are a few small things I’ve changed my mind about. Like…
RickJay has convinced me that Bobby Bonds was a better leadoff man than I’d thought
I don’t think “changed my mid” is quite the way to describe it, but i have come to a much better understanding of the transgender issue also. Until reading about it here, I actually had never given it any thought. It just was not something I had encountered before.
My ignorance was successfully fought!
I have also been fascinated by the various legal discussions I have read here.
I’m the opposite - this was one thing where I didn’t follow usual liberal opinion, I’ve always been in favour of guns. But now, my thinking is “So what, who cares what the Founding Fathers thought?” It’s the 21st C. and yet America isn’t into updating its Constitution? That’s the very epitome of a backwards country. Just reading the gun rights proponents on this board (not even interacting with them) has made me in favour of very strong gun control, very recently.
I’ve also come around to a strong pro-Israel stance.