What's the last significant thing you changed your mind about?

[whatsinmypockets]

I was talking to my niece today about the value of 'strong beliefs, lightly held', and how much I respect people who can stand for what they believe in while remaining open to the possibility that they might be wrong.

She (quite rightly) asked me what the last thing was that I believed and then later came to decide wasn't right, and I'm still digging to think of an example hours later.

Very glad she asked me, given that I was waxing lyrical about the theory without having a practical example to back it up – and it's got me wondering about other people's experiences.

What's something you used to believe in strongly, that you then came to change your mind about? And what was it that changed your perspective?

Oh, so many!

Quite topically, I used to be a very strongly in favour of abolishing the monarchy but I'm now quite glad we don't elect a president!

I used to be in favour of assisted dying, opposed to banning prostitution, neutral on surrogacy. Plus plenty of other areas where I've moved from a libertarian standpoint to one based on class analysis - I think this is just getting older and seeing how libertarian idealism can result in vulnerable people being exploited.

Brexit. I'm ashamed to admit I voted to leave the EU. Worst mistake ever.

I used to believe that the West was a force for good and we were the 'good guys'.

I used to think that sex work was a personal choice.

I used to believe in common decency.

I used to think that Brexit was wrong. It was me that was wrong, Brexit is a disaster.

On a more serious note, I voted against proportional representation. I now think I was wrong.

I used to be very strongly anti-abortion. Now I am conflicted, knowing how difficult pregnancy can be. I am now glad that it is safe and legal in this country, but still feel sad about the necessity.

Do you know what is happening in Germany and the mess they are in because of PR?

Trans stuff.

Breastfeeding 6 months + being an absolute for me. But it was forced by my situation really. ☹️ however once I'd grieved the expectations/reality gap, I realised I'd been holding onto an expectation that ultimately didn't serve either me or my baby and I see it much more pragmatically now.

Me too. I used to do all the pronoun twaddle, as well.

I've changed my mind on surrogacy - I used to think of it from the perspective of the parents, but now I think of it more from the perspective of the child.

I thought I wouldn't have a child once I was past 35, then I had one at 41 11/12!

I sort of assumed my kids would go to school, but they don't...!

I used to have some woolly ideas about trans women. I kinda thought that if they really wanted to be female they should give up their orgasm & have their knobs removed. Then I heard someone talking about the totally unnecessary pelvic health problems caused by male to female surgery. Now I think that nobody with a perfectly functional anatomy should let a surgeon near.

This doesn’t mean I welcome trans women in female spaces.

Before I was a parent I thought breastfeeding was easy and formula a poor choice. How karma corrected me.

Trans stuff and surrogacy

That I'd never cosleep and it was dangerous.

I did cosleep, and trying not to proved to be much more dangerous!

I used to want to legalise prostitution, but now I don't.

I've moved from being left wing to being quite centrist. I think echo chambers and black and group think are terrible for society (but great for those in charge) and the best thing we can do is listen to people with completely different viewpoints from us to try to see their point of view rather than to demonise them.

I also think when the government is trying to do something big, it should always be a cross party effort and that we've been led to believe that coalition governments are a terrible thing for the country and we should avoid them when actually they're a good thing for the electorate.