CAN WE CHANGE OUR MINDS? [+] serious ballot by contragrain ACTIVE Sun Aug 05, 07 - Mon Aug 04, 08 The psychologist William James is quoted as having said: "If you can change your mind, you can change your life." The idea for this ballot was actually spurred by a joke ballot. I'm glad I didn't raise these points there, as doing so may have been construed as an attack on the people focussed upon in the joke. In any case, it would have been at the very best tedious, disrespectful, and otherwise droll to refuse to laugh with those who laugh. I see and hear a lot of people on bestandworst trying to "change the minds" of other folks on the site. (And I'm not referring to the joke ballot writer. He's actually quite cool about these things.) This is not an interactive dynamic exclusive to this site. From my personal perspective, it pretty much runs throughout the human experience. Personally, I think it's a headtrip to try to change the mind of another human being. The mind (brain) is probably the most difficult organ of the human body to change. Some say we cannot change our basic brain functions (ie personality, preferences) under any circumstances. Others say we can, that it has happened to them. Still others would answer, "and, why, praytell, would I want to?" The original joke ballot was about lesbians; but, you could apply it to any genetic predisposition. Certainly there is so much more to any one human being than just that one characteristic. There are people with a genetic predisposition toward athletics who seem to be a good athlete without even trying. Some are happy to identify themselves as "JEANETTE" or "JIM" "the ATHLETE," and yet others (I have met them) who resent being categorized in such fashion. To them, they are much more than "just an athlete." They like disciplines which do not come easily for them. They claim to have changed their minds. Either way, the only person who can answer whether their mind can change is the person themselves. Not other people who share similarities with themselves (ie athletes, homosexuals, etc.) and certainly NOT people who identify themselves in certain other categories such as intellectuals or heterosexuals (especially if they scorn the first group with words like "dumb jock" or "(place politically incorrect epithet for homosexuals here)" The kind of mind changing I'm talking about here goes to the root of the brain. So, I reiterate the question, "Can people ever CHANGE their MINDS?" Yes, it can happen No, it's an illusion. The biggest problem is when others try to change your mind for you. Brainwash you. other, see comment SORRY, THIS POLL IS NOW CLOSED. Ballot #116744 : Voting Finished : SEE RESULTS Comment: show your vote with comment?

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