How can someone get you to change your mind?

[1048576]

The only way I have ever been taught to change someone's view is with a sound argument. In fact, my entire philosophy is based on the arguments of others that I wasn't able to find an effective counter to. However, it seems like 90% of Americans just believe things without thinking about them. If I disagree with someone, and I produce an argument favoring my position which they are unable to answer, they pretend that I didn't say anything. One second later, I ask, " Do you think differently now?" They say no. I ask why not? And they reply with the exact same statement I just provided an argument against. It's frustrating. It seems like this entire country is stuck in an intellectual rut. We've even coined a term for intelectually honest people: flip-floppers.

*End wall of rant

 

[Johnthegalactic]

Americans, they are so silly with their ego and pride. By the way, I like your signature quote.

 

[OmegaXXII]

yeah, people like that would most likely be a thief or scammer, or con-artist, I don't know, americans these days, especially kids will believe anything.

 

[Pas]

What in particular inspired this rant?

 

[Yinlong]

two words:

Mon
Nay.

 

[1048576]

It's not money, it's an overwhelming desire to remain ignorant and yet pretend to have an opinion that matters. Pick one.

 

[GreenKirby]

That's the typical American for you. lol

 

[1048576]

Not lol. It's a serious problem that we need to fix

 

[Kirby knight]

How can someone change my mind? It's all in how someone approaches me about the subject at hand. Generally I tend to ignore those with an "I'm right your wrong attitude", not giving any sympathy to my views at all. When trying to change someones mind I think one really has to take into account the feelings of those they're trying to change. Come off too harsh and as right as you may be the person may simply ignore you or keep their view just to spite your bad attitude.I've personally done it and I've seen people do it.

 

[Eor]

Americans, they are so silly with their ego and pride. By the way, I like your signature quote.

That's the typical American for you. lol

Why do you hate freedom?

 

[GreenKirby]

Hate freedom? I don't hate freedom nor do I take my freedom for granted. You know from the right to free speech to the right to read books.

 

[Eor]

 

[MuBa]

Don't want to be an American idiot.

One nation controlled by the media.

Information age of hysteria.

It's calling out to idiot America.


Personally I see media as the strongest tool to change the minds of the American people. See how they say stupid stuff about Islam =/

I swear media has the power to turn day into night and night into day and people will believe it.

 

[Johnthegalactic]

Don't want to be an American idiot.

One nation controlled by the media.

Information age of hysteria.

It's calling out to idiot America.


Personally I see media as the strongest tool to change the minds of the American people. See how they say stupid stuff about Islam =/

I swear media has the power to turn day into night and night into day and people will believe it.

America, the land where people have thousands of tools in which distorted information is delivered to them 24/7. The technology rules their lives, they cannot live without it, yet have no idea how it works, like a flower to the sun.


This reminds me, I wanted to write a story about amish people.
they are in america, yet immune to all it's effects, it is like a level one ghastly versus a level 100 machamp, one is small and weak, yet the huge ones muscular biceps(actually, machamp has four biceps) have no effect on him...lol pokemon reference.
did I mention I used to live in Ohio, where amish people thrived(and had a secret military base).

[WIKI="As of 2000, over 165,000 Old Order Amish live in Canada and the United States. No Amish remain in Europe. A new study in 2008 suggests their numbers have increased to 227,000."]As of 2000, over 165,000 Old Order Amish live in Canada and the United States. No Amish remain in Europe. A new study in 2008 suggests their numbers have increased to 227,000.[/WIKI]
Proof that the amish are building up their forces in preparation for a rebellion(revolution[de-evoltion]).

 

[MuBa]

Amish people having a secret military base...?

That's like having a Jewish Nazi =/

 

[Johnthegalactic]

Amish people having a secret military base...?

That's like having a Jewish Nazi =/

They took notice that the government is closing in, trying to wedge their way into amish affairs, and now, they are preparing, they have beaten their plowshares into pistols and begun breeding their horses for war. The amish are ready to stand up for what they believe(or don't believe) in!

Do you believe me?
No?
Have you been to an amish paradise? You haven't...as I expected, I, on the other hand, have.

 

[JLynn943]

I live in Pennsylvania, and there's a huge Amish population here, too. Wouldn't be surprised if they had a military base. Soon the Amish will take over the world.

 

[Kinzer]

GETTING BACK ON SUBJECT!

Really the only way somebody would persuade me to change my opinion on anything is if I have absoultely no mroe reason not to believe why their opinion isn't better than what I used to believe.

Basicaly, come up with something really good, and it's like you have your own religion i am gonig to follow.

 

[Rici]

If a hot girl shows me her cans I will change my mind.

 

[Hobobloke]

If a hot girl shows me her cans I will change my mind.

agreed but seriously people dont persuade me often and if they were to they would have to make a convincing arguement which clearly stated the flaws in my belief and facts to back it up

 

[Pas]

Clearly people who form opinions or hold beliefs contrary to the original poster and refuse to be swayed by his arguments are the plague that is killing not only America but the free world.

This is definitely a serious problem that we need to fix. Don't just vote 1: Vote 1048576 in the next election.

 

[1048576]

I don't mind people who hold different beliefs than I do. I do mind people who don't think about why they believe in what they believe in, and I do mind people who are incapable of changing their mind about what they believe in.

 

[~rh]

Someone can change my mind using things that will make me happy... like as bribes. Such as... a hot girl showing me her cans.

 

[TWILTHERO]

Something to change my mind? I want proof. Don't just give me a statement. I want PROOF.

Spoiler

That or you give me ten bucks. I'm broke right now.

 

[~rh]

^ What about cans? =/

 

[1048576]

Proof is kind of sketchy, as in, we can't prove much. How about a "more likely than your idea" scenario? Or maybe a situation which requires fewer assumptions.

How can someone change your mind with bribes? If someone told me they would give me money to believe that abortion is always wrong I'd take the money, but I wouldn't be able to actually change my mind, you know?

 

[Kiyosuki]

You know I think about this from time to time. It pops into my mind especially if I cruise the net and come across the inevitable flame war whether I meant to or not. Whether a person truly is right, or if they just can't stand the idea that they may not be right.

The way someone can change -my- mind? Well, I believe you can't be flimsy, but people that go into arguments with this "I wouldn't argue if I wasn't right!" mindset I think are their own worst enemies personally. Usually I throw my thoughts out in a mildly rhetorical or subjective fashion, since I'm a big believer in the idea that most of the time there may not be just one right answer...not to mention some things just arn't really worthy of an argument, but when I do argue it's always a bit of a struggle to beat my ego in check of course, everyone has to deal with that, but I try to remind myself often if I'm arguing with someone that the possibility of me being the wrong one is there. That way, when you look at the facts..you can see them a little more clearly.

I don't get into arguments with just anyone though myself, there are some people out there that I just don't see the point in arguing with. Before you can change anyone's mind, they have to be even somewhat willing to allow it.

 

[Wuss]

You seem to forget about other facets of human nature. THe mind and consciousness are not the only parts that influence a decision or a belief. People can have a gut feeling that they can't necessarily explain, but that doesn't mean it's not there and that it's not real. I'm not trying to be sappy or whatever, but it's true.

I agree that the majority of Americans are stupid, but that doesn't mean that a simple argument should/will change their minds.

 

[Pas]

I don't mind people who hold different beliefs than I do. I do mind people who don't think about why they believe in what they believe in, and I do mind people who are incapable of changing their mind about what they believe in.

That's fair. Sorry, I was being a smartass. For what it's worth, I spent a fair bit of time mulling this over at work today (slow shift...). For the next bit I'm using "i" and "me" but I don't mean me necessarily, just some hypothetical person.

If I haven't researched something thoroughly but I've come to an opinion based on faith or morals and the facts at the very surface, then a strong argument may present me with an argument that challenges these very morals and core beliefs that I'd like to think I live my life by. This is deeply troubling. To consider your argument completely would also be to consider things which are way beyond the scope of the day to day; ethics, politics, religion. A lot of people, like people without degrees in philosophy or religious theory, aren't capable of doing this in any meaningful context.

If I can't square something away at that most basic level then probably I won't listen to your argument, no matter how good it is. Anyway, if that's the kind of argument it is then the answer can't be so clear cut that I can't just form a flimsy opinion and get on with my life.

Kind of wrote this with abortion in mind, but it holds in a lot of cases.


Sometimes in other cases, I may not know why an argument is wrong. I suspect it is, but I don't care enough about the issue to research the facts of the matter. Examples include this and this

 

[GreenKirby]

BTW, doesn't something like this kinda depends on what exactly you're trying to mind change.

Example of something you SHOULDN'T try to change:

Guy: I prefer subjects on math more than I do about subjects on other stuff

Example of something you SHOULD try to change

Guy: I think we should restart the Nazi movement.

 

[1048576]

As long as you know why you prefer math, that's cool.

I think that killing bad people is good for society in the long run, but Hitler had horrible criteria.

Pas: For the global warming thing, I think that whether or not global warming was man-made (since we can't prove it is, we should assume it isn't) we have a responsibility to attempt to keep the Earth's climate habitable for future generations. This may include artificially lowering the global temperature.