Saturday, October 4, 2008

Do You Change Your Own Mind, or is it Changed for You?

So I've been thinking a lot about politics and the candidates recently.

Shocker, right?

I do have a little thought to share...

I cannot think of one thing that could happen that would change who I'll vote for on November 4th. Some of my most intelligent and informed friends could try and convince me and it would really have little effect. Not that they wouldn't completely believe in their own opinion and not that I wouldn't listen to what they have to say. I'm just not going to change my mind. I have my reasons and so do they.

So, why would I presume any conversation I have with someone, who will be voting for a candidate other than the one I am, would change their mind?

Should we still have those conversations? What do you think?
Concerning your current candidate choice, do you think your mind could be changed?

6 comments:

Kara-KSS Photography said...

Interesting questions, Greta. I definitely know that my mind could not ever be changed, no matter what annoying comments are made on facebook or the ridicule that is prevalent on the news. I know that who I am voting for is in line with my faith, so that's what matters most to me. I think having political conversations is essentially pointless. Very few people are "on the fence" with their decision, especially in this race. I have been pretty shocked during this election over who is voting for who..you know, people you thought would vote one way, but are voting another. It's interesting. Quite frankly, I am just ready to get on out and vote and have all of this over with. May the best man win ;-)

Kristina said...

Greta, great topic and I agree with you and Kara. My mind also will not be changed. I think this holds true for the majority of the voters out there, well at least the ones that I know. Getting in conversations about whom you support just becomes uncomfortable, because you disagree with the other person and one person ends up getting defensive.

I think people who would benefit from political conversations at this point would be those who have not been following the election and really have no idea what either candidate is about. HOwever, those who have been following the election decided a LONG time ago (I know I did) and few have changed their minds.

Can't wait to see how this turns out!

rebekah said...

i'm with you...nothing can change my mind. and don't think people haven't tried. the most popular one i get is "don't you feel like your throwing your vote away?" to which my response is "no, throwing my vote away would be voting for something i don't believe in."

i am on the bob barr email list and they proposed an interesting idea today...how many people are voting for candidates and how many are just voting against another candidate. and its true. a lot of conversations i've had/heard involve voting for the lesser of evils. or well, i can't stand (insert candidate here) so i will vote for (the other). but the majority of bob barr supporters are voting for him because they believe in him...there would be no other real reason to do so. so that's an encouraging thing to support as well.

but i do think conversations are important. not with the goal of changing people's minds. but to help people think critically. i think that's a skill we lack, especially in our generation. it seems that most people either allow things to be beaten into their head or they're the ones doing the beating. i'm fine with someone supporting a different candidate than i do, if they honestly know why (well, i have to be with it anyway, because we live in a free country and they can vote for whomever for whatever reason) but it especially irritates me when they have no clue why. nothing of substance anyway. so, yes, i believe in dialogue. not fighting...not browbeating. but just honest to goodness discussion...

sorry this is so long.

rebekah said...

and also...it is possible for minds to be changed. after this recent bailout that will make our national debt go up by $1 trillion, literally tens of thousands of people have signed up for bob barr emails and/or registered libertarian.

so there are some people who realize there is another choice out there.

Carolina Mama said...

Yes my mind was changed ;) now I am really set straight!

I'll play along and keep it anonymous. ;)

The Microblogologist said...

I agree with you, most people have made up their mind long before now and unless a massive scandal hits right before the election I don't see very many changing their mind. Discussions on the subject between people of opposing sides can be good, but if I get accused of being racist because the candidate I am against has a bit more pigmentation than me one more time I am going to scream! Seriously how crappy is your argument if you have to resort to such horrid and untrue accusations?!

How many times do I have to tell such ignorants that race is irrelevant and that people are insane to be so obsessed with it. Humans are not diverse, compared to bacteria we are all the same. Support bacteria, they're the only culture some people have ;)!

Karen