Has reading a post ever facilitated a change of mind surrounding something of significance?

[betenoire]

Originally Posted by Miss Tick

My question is simply has anyone ever actually been moved to change their mind about a heartfelt issue, not something rather insignificant like whether peeps are better micro waved or just like that out of the box, but something important to them, a central belief of some kind, because of a post or even several posts they read articulating an opposing point of view?

I have no idea, honestly. I know that my opinions on a lot of things have changed over the years, but I can't nail down a thread or a person or a conversation that was the kicker.

I do know that I've thread-stalked myself some over at the other site and I sometimes find myself thinking "did I really believe that? holy cats!"

Originally Posted by Miss Tick

I have another question. Is there a particular style of presentation that works best for you? Is there a style that just turns you off and no matter what the person says you won’t hear them?

Not so much a style of communication, but a style of person. People who tend to think that a difference of opinion on a subject is something PERSONAL are the types of people who I eventually just end up not reading. Attack my ideas, do not attack my personality.

There are some people here who I really look forward to the opportunity to read, even when I disagree with what they're saying. Because there's just a level of honesty there that comes off as really untainted. They don't even have similar posting styles (at all) so it's really not the method of delivery that does it for me.

I also really respect anybody who can disagree with you on one subject and then move on, not letting the difference of opinion leak into every other interaction that they have for all eternity.