I am easily swayed by the things I see and hear...Like full Metal Jacket for instance...We are in Iraq to help the Iraqis, because inside every rag head is an American waiting to get out....I thought that was such an interesting philosophy that I just had to expound upon it.

I've become more liberal.

I know Dantilla. Great guy. I've met Jeffl Higgins. Another great guy, I think. What appears at this time to be a huge difference, a great ideological chasm between us......is not as real as most of you think. I agree with Dan that outcomes should not (are not) guaranteed. Equal opportunity does not mean equal outcome, I agree. And I don't have an inclination to try to guarantee outcomes. Or to infringe on anybody's freedom. But I do wish to give everyone the best starting point we can.

Just a simple example. This weekend with my daughter, I watched a show about several young people suffering from Tourette's Syndrome. I wished all of them success, but especially one. There was a young fellow who seemed to be a nice guy, but was having a great deal of trouble achieving his goals. He wants to find a good woman and make his way in the world. He wants to do things and accomplish things and test the high potential he knows he has. But the Tourettes gets in the way. I want him to be free from that, because I felt sure he is one of those folks who, the further he can go, the better off a bunch of other people are.

There are lots of people who do not have Tourettes and who some of you think have just the same opportunities as everyone else and you are wrong. Some do not.

That was just a small sampling of some of the reasons why I dislike trial lawyers and Democrats--there are several other reasons. It's just easy for illustrative purpose to show how specific life experiences played into specific opinions.

I'm actually very open among my friends about things like this. I firmly blame my father for his own mistakes. I just dislike the institutions/people that were more than happy to help him in his decline as I'm convinced his was not an isolated case.

Legion, I think disliking lawyers and wanting tort reform are bipartisan issues.

Why do you lump trial lawyers and democrats together?

why not?

Trial lawyers are major donors to the DNC. Many Democratic candidates are former trial lawyers (John Edwards, for example). Trial lawyers have consistently acted through the Democratic Party to block tort reform.

When I discover that I am wrong, I change my mind.

Edit:
Here is the original quote form Keynes of Keynesian Economics fame. This is the most useful thing I learnt in that Econ class.

'When I find that I've been mistaken I change my mind: what do you do?'

John Maynard Keynes

Blame Bush.

No wait, blame the liberals.

No wait, blame Islam.





what was the question? Jim, can I get that drink now?

Legion with that kind of reasoning, I should hate the Porsche mechanic that fixed my neighbors Porsche. Because my neighbor ran over my dog with one.

bryan

A heavy subject, judging by all the humorous off-topic posts. ;)

I am unfortunately a big egocentric. As long as I am left in peace with my hard earned money, not too heavily taxed and my children are able to grow up in a reasonably safe environment - I am content. But no more than content. Happy ? I don´t know the meaning of that word. Democrat, liberal, republican, conservative - I don´t know the meaning of those words neither. Doesn´t make sense. Nothing does. I don´t.

I was heavily influenced by the single cell organisms that came before me.

Except that in your example, the mechanic is steering the car. ;)

When you rely on others to make a living, you are liberal. Then, when you start relying on just yourself and have to be the one who provides for others, you become conservative.

Aurel

I thought the definition of a conservative was a liberal that got mugged.

To me a liberal is someone who has grand ideas for fixing society with MY money.

That too! :D

Legion:

I am not an expert on human behavior, but what you have described seems to fit the role of "nurture" in forming our likes and dislikes. Over time, those memories and their influence on your thinking may fade. Like a shrink I once knew said: "Years from now you will have the same questions. The difference is the answers will no longer be important."

Keep on truckin, man....