Political Opinions of yours that have changed.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

Controversial, but fun thread idea imo.

Here's 3 things I believe now which I didn't back then:

1. I believe that Joe Biden won in 2020 legitimately. Election Fraud was nonsense, I think people just hated Trump that hard in 2020, and rightfully so.

2. Kamala would've been much better than Trump. No.1 reason imo was her stronger support of Ukraine, and I don't think she would've bombed Iran.

3. The Democrat Party is far superior to the Republician Party and it's not even close. If I went back in time, I would've spoken in favour of Kamala and Biden.

[Prowler]

How far back do you wanna go? Because, if you want to compare my 35 year old self to my 18-19 year old self... there's a huge difference.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

How far back do you wanna go? Because, if you want to compare my 35 year old self to my 18-19 year old self... there's a huge difference.

Sure, what are the differences?

I have to admit, even I have changed a lot from 18 to 28.

At 18, I was engulfed in the whole Anti-SJW thing that had taken over the internet.

At 28, I actually agree with Leftists on many thing, especially economics and immigration.

I'm still a very socially conservative person due to my faith but I do support the way that Leftists systemically approach many issues as opposed to the 'hands-off' and 'individual choice' approach of many right-wing libertarians & capitalists.

My vote in the 2026 New Zealand Election is going to the "Woke" Green Party that is the most Far Left of the Spectrum.

[Prowler]

Sure, what are the differences?

I have to admit, even I have changed a lot from 18 to 28.

At 18, I was engulfed in the whole Anti-SJW thing that had taken over the internet.

At 28, I actually agree with Leftists on many thing, especially economics and immigration.

I'm still a very socially conservative person due to my faith but I do support the way that Leftists systemically approach many issues as opposed to the 'hands-off' and 'individual choice' approach of many right-wing libertarians & capitalists.

My vote in the 2026 New Zealand Election is going to the "Woke" Green Party that is the most Far Left of the Spectrum.

You were 18 when the term SJW became a thing? I first heard of it in 2013. I was 22.

Is SJW even still a used term? Woke seems to have replaced it. Last time I heard/read the term SJW must have been around 2018.

As for myself, I'd rather not go too much into detail. This place has way too many political stuff already. The main thing that has changed about my positions are related to economics, I'd say.

[neatoman]

I have indeed changed political opinions in the past... But I won't say which because knowing they've changed means they may change again, meaning I might regret telling people.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

You were 18 when the term SJW became a thing? I first heard of it in 2013. I was 22.

Is SJW even still a used term? Woke seems to have replaced it. Last time I heard/read the term SJW must have been around 2018.

As for myself, I'd rather not go too much into detail. This place has way too many political stuff already. The main thing that has changed about my positions are related to economics, I'd say.

Well, I first heard of SJW when I was like 16 in 2014, but by 18, I was fully on the anti-SJW bandwagon.

Looking back, I think the whole Anti-SJW thing was so overblown. There are so many evil people in powerful positions and yet Anti-SJW-ism would have me believe that the main problems of society are cause by naive College students discovering their path in life. I think that's so ridiculous.

[Andrew NDB]

Ah yes, the SJWs. The proto-woke leftards. The vanguard, lol.

[Prowler]

Well, I first heard of SJW when I was like 16 in 2014, but by 18, I was fully on the anti-SJW bandwagon.

Looking back, I think the whole Anti-SJW thing was so overblown. There are so many evil people in powerful positions and yet Anti-SJW-ism would have me believe that the main problem are naive College students discovering their path in life.
Wasn't the term SJW born out of the Gamergate affair?

Ah yes, the SJWs. The proto-woke leftards. The vanguard, lol.

Don't SJWs and the Wokes essentially believe in the same things? Two different names/labels for the same group of people?

[Andrew NDB]

Basically. But SJWs were just about "social justice" mostly related to DEI stuff and LGBTQ. They evolved when they became political experts and added that to their toolbelts.

[CyberCubed]

I don't really have political opinions per se. I just think all racism or homophobia should not be tolerated. And in some of those Muslim countries they still beat women, hang them, and force them to cover their entire faces and if they do one thing wrong they're executed or go "missing."

People living in modern countries just don't realize how bad other people in the world have it. It's really not hard to just not be a jerk to anyone in real life regardless what they look like.

[Prowler]

I don't really have political opinions per se. I just think all racism or homophobia should not be tolerated. And in some of those Muslim countries they still beat women, hang them, and force them to cover their entire faces and if they do one thing wrong they're executed or go "missing."

People living in modern countries just don't realize how bad other people in the world have it. It's really not hard to just not be a jerk to anyone in real life regardless what they look like.

I know you're just gimmick posting, but I'll bite, anyway.

Well, people in highly developed nations have problems, too. Just because kids are starving in Sub-Saharan Africa and girls and women are being denied education in Afghanistan, that doesn't mean that people in Europe, Japan, USA, Canada, etc. don't have the right to feel unhappy about their own lives. I think most people in those countries are aware they're lucky to have been born in a more "civilised" part of the world. But that doesn't stop them from getting depressed and having the occasional existential problems.

I mean, by that logic, none of us have as much money and fame as someone like Cristiano Ronaldo, Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos. Therefore, shouldn't we ALL feel like **** because we'll never measure up to them?

[CyberCubed]

It's true not everyone is rich and people struggle, but the point is you can still walk out your door and go to the supermarket to buy food without fear of someone gunning you down on the street, or the police/military arresting you for no reason and locking you up, or people hating on you just for what you look like or religion.

[Wildcat]

I’m not into politics. We all have opinions on stuff but I’ve never voted in my life.

The only thing that’s changed is how I feel about Trump. I was indifferent the first time. I commented on it in some old topic.

I knew who he was of course. I’d see him on tv. Never watched The Apprentice though. I watched his Comedy Central Roast. I like those.

Anyway since 2020 I see he’s just a terrible person in general. It’s sad and scary to see he has a big fan base (NOT Republicans).

No I did not vote in 2024 either. Not because it was rigged or any other nonsense. I just knew he’d win. Especially after being able to run again.

[Mayhem]

Known, or been told Trump was a conman and scheister for a long time. A friend of my first American girlfriend's dad had business dealings with him in NYC in the 90s and described him as "an absolute crook who has no morals about totalling screwing you over". And THIS was someone of Italian descent we're talking about, with significant union ties.

(to clarify, her dad’s mum had connections with the Sicilian mafia in the 1930s and she moved to the US just after WW2. Didn’t find out any of this until meeting her grandma for the first time hah…)

Political opinions that have changed? Hmmm. I’ve moved a little to the left as I’ve gotten older, but for the Americans at home, I’m not left wing by your standards, I’m still right of centre. One thing I can say is that during the 80s Reagan was seen as this lovable imbecile with a relation with Thatcher. Nowadays in hindsight, he was the 80s version of what Trump is doing now.

Also understood that almost without fail, Republicans run up the deficit and Democrats bring it back down again.

It’s hard to put the question onto UK politics because outside of small hardcore minorities that will never vote for anything other than the one party they’ve aligned themselves too, more of the population is more astute and moves its leanings around. It’s far less bipartisan than the US.

[CyberCubed]

Trump is 80 years old and assumingly in poor health. I wouldn't be surprised if he dies as soon as his last 2 years are up.

[Mayhem]

The good money, despite all the drugs, is him dying in office. And if that happens, how long they’ll cover it up like they are doing with Mitch…

[IMJ]

Trump is 80 years old and assumingly in poor health. I wouldn't be surprised if he dies as soon as his last 2 years are up.

In many ways this wouldn't surprise me either.

[CyberCubed]

It's actually weird, both Trump and his fans act like he's only 70 or something where he has like 10+ more years left. In reality he's at deaths door. Even if he makes it to 85 he'd basically be a walking corpse.

[ZariusTwo]

From a kid until my 30s, I looked up to the democrats and considered myself left-leaning. Then somewhere down the line the youth of the left became over-entitled, righteous and conceited, obsessed with mock outrage, trivial 'movements' and witch hunts, and they were encouraged to do this by those in power. You can't blame the right for gaining influence at the time. The left did it to themselves.

Even now I think the left are out of touch and haven't learned any of the lessons that cost them two elections to Trump, and have only doubled down in radicalising kids and driving them to do worse things...but Trump and the right are worse in that they're committing war crime atrocities that wouldn't have been tolerated a hundred years ago. Actions like his would have unified the world against him and they'd have taken action.

The fact none of this has happened demonstrates you can't trust both sides. They all exist to maintain balance. There will never be true change in the world. Be in charge of your own and stop thinking you can align, fix or bargain with any one party in the hopes you can make the world conform to your ideologies. We're all far, far too different for that. Don't try to make the individual the collective. Don't try to make us like everyone else. There is no freedom in that.

[sdp]

I'm certain say in 10 years from now, it'll be hard to get people to admit they were ever MAGA supporters.

[CyberCubed]

I'm certain say in 10 years from now, it'll be hard to get people to admit they were ever MAGA supporters.

A lot of the initial supports were already old boomers 60-70 year olds who will be dead in a few years. Some young 20-30 year olds kind of jumped on the bandwagon because they thought he was funny, or whatever. But those type of people will always exist for anything.

[Prowler]

I'm certain say in 10 years from now, it'll be hard to get people to admit they were ever MAGA supporters.

That much is certain. Happens with lots of politicians and presidents or chairmen of football clubs as well. I've seen it a dozen of times.

If, somehow, Trump's presidency ends poorly with a huge scandal that even ruins his reputation in the eyes of his cult followers, then 10 years from now on, even the most die hard MAGAs will deny ever having voted for him.

[Mayhem]

However the internet remembers everything…

[Prowler]

However the internet remembers everything…

I'm sure the friends and social media followers of said MAGAs will remember that, but most people are "nobodies" in real life. The world won't know or care that Bubba from Texas voted for Trump 10 years ago.

[ZariusTwo]

The left are just as bad as MAGA. You'll see, and that's when you'll vote in the right again. And the cycle will repeat.

[ToTheNines]

I was raised by jingoistic cuckservatives and was a young teenager during the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.

Then I was a dumb ass libertarian in my early twenties.

Now I don’t identify as anything. American politics is all clowns, top to bottom. None of them are serious and voting is a joke.

[Andrew NDB]

I don't think being remembered as a "Trump Supporter" would be any worse in the future than being someone who could unironically say Joe Biden was a great president/sharp as a tack, and Kamala would have been amazing.

[Prowler]

The left are just as bad as MAGA. You'll see, and that's when you'll vote in the right again. And the cycle will repeat.

All extremes are bad. And sadly, I see more and more people going further into either the left or the right. At least online. No wonder the polarisation is getting worse in many countries. I don't think Portugal is that polarised yet, but definitely more polarised than it used to be before 2020.

The most polarised countries are Argentina, Colombia and the United States; apparently. Mind you, this is from 2023: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/polarization-across-28-countries/

[Andrew NDB]

How about Nicaragua and their great announcement about no more elections?

[Prowler]

How about Nicaragua and their great announcement about no more elections?

I didn't know of that.