In my early 20s, I was close to what might now be called a budding christian nationalist listening to right-wing AM radio on my lunch break thinking people were lazy and just didn’t work hard enough (I was making I think $26k/yr then at my first salaried “real job”. It wasn’t enough to save much money on even in the early 2000s). Had the internet been where it is now back then, I don’t even want to think about what I may have become.
Fast forward to today in my mid-40s and I’m a left-leaning atheist union member who believes we need to have better social programs, free education, wealth tax, UBI, etc. If not a complete 180, at least very close to it.
I do change my mind on things as evidence and experience guide me to do so. When beliefs become too much of one’s identity, whatever those beliefs may be, things start getting into very dangerous territory. I used to be very dogmatic and sure of my path in my 20s.
In my early 20s, I was close to what might now be called a budding christian nationalist listening to right-wing AM radio on my lunch break thinking people were lazy and just didn’t work hard enough (I was making I think $26k/yr then at my first salaried “real job”. It wasn’t enough to save much money on even in the early 2000s). Had the internet been where it is now back then, I don’t even want to think about what I may have become.
Fast forward to today in my mid-40s and I’m a left-leaning atheist union member who believes we need to have better social programs, free education, wealth tax, UBI, etc. If not a complete 180, at least very close to it.
I do change my mind on things as evidence and experience guide me to do so. When beliefs become too much of one’s identity, whatever those beliefs may be, things start getting into very dangerous territory. I used to be very dogmatic and sure of my path in my 20s.
Agreed. Anyone who makes their beliefs their identity runs the risk of being a clone of their opponents.