My Kid is a Damn Nutter

Undertoad · 08-06-2009, 01:12 PM

I think I can participate in this thread in the social matter --

Loss of friends over changes in one's belief system? Let me tell you my story. For many years, I was a hardcore Libertarian and worked inside the L party to try to develop it and to angle politically. My then-wife was 100% with me on that, and so most of our friends were fellow L party travelers and their associates who enjoyed the ride.

After a decade of believing and working and developing friendships, I began to realize that although it had many good points, the hard core libertarianism also had deep flaws as a school of thought. Once I started to be at odds with some of the oft-repeated mantras, it all sort of broke away and over a period of two years I found myself no longer in the group-think.

Then, as a result, I lost most of my friends over a period of that two years. And it was also probably the first crack leading to my divorce -- although I consider the divorce the best thing to happen, so I'm not sure that matters so much.

One of my current best friends (and being all anti-social, I have like six friends, and two I'd regard as "best") is one of the hardest-core libertarians in the country. But just like I learned about marriage, real friendship overrides philosophy somehow. The disagreements become part of why we're friends.

Do I have a conclusion here... no I guess not... but I should say, Clod and this goes for you jinx too, although I am not directly in your belief system, I want to remain efriends, because to me you are beautiful people and when it comes to beliefs, we all struggle to understand, the struggle is the beautiful part. And intellectual honesty requires me to admit I may be wrong, as well so what does it matter?

08-06-2009, 01:12 PM	#11
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	I think I can participate in this thread in the social matter -- Loss of friends over changes in one's belief system? Let me tell you my story. For many years, I was a hardcore Libertarian and worked inside the L party to try to develop it and to angle politically. My then-wife was 100% with me on that, and so most of our friends were fellow L party travelers and their associates who enjoyed the ride. After a decade of believing and working and developing friendships, I began to realize that although it had many good points, the hard core libertarianism also had deep flaws as a school of thought. Once I started to be at odds with some of the oft-repeated mantras, it all sort of broke away and over a period of two years I found myself no longer in the group-think. Then, as a result, I lost most of my friends over a period of that two years. And it was also probably the first crack leading to my divorce -- although I consider the divorce the best thing to happen, so I'm not sure that matters so much. One of my current best friends (and being all anti-social, I have like six friends, and two I'd regard as "best") is one of the hardest-core libertarians in the country. But just like I learned about marriage, real friendship overrides philosophy somehow. The disagreements become part of why we're friends. Do I have a conclusion here... no I guess not... but I should say, Clod and this goes for you jinx too, although I am not directly in your belief system, I want to remain efriends, because to me you are beautiful people and when it comes to beliefs, we all struggle to understand, the struggle is the beautiful part. And intellectual honesty requires me to admit I may be wrong, as well so what does it matter?

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