Quote:
|
DEEPLY QUESTIONING those premises was an incredibly hard thing to do, but I found that once I merely "allowed in" different premises, and REQUIRED myself to ask myself "OK, what if I'm wrong?" I was very surprised at what I found.
|
I would say that the 13 years (13 fucking years! Jesus christ) I've spent in the Cellar has had a transformational effect on my thinking and political views. Complemented by my experience in local government, true, but mainly my interactions here.
I no longer think of those on the right as my natural and inevitable enemies. I no longer have that absolute conviction that my political analysis is the 'right' one. I still firmly believe in a socialist approach to many aspects of society (health care, unemployment benefits, pensions, basic transport and utilities infrastructure) but I also can see that the other side of that equation isn't necessarily the debil. That people can just as firmly believe in individual responsibility as the most important factor and do so with good and laudable intentions for the health of the nation as a whole is a step forward :P
I also am less certain than I once was that the socialist approach is the right, or only way to achieve a healthy society that benefits all.
I still think it's the best way - but I am also open to other ideas in a way I really wasn't 13 years ago.