Slashdot highlighted this fantastic collection of responses to that question, posed by the Edge World Question Center to a wide (and impressive) array of people. I was unknowingly familiar with previous work of this organization, having read and enjoyed What We Believe But Cannot Prove. Apparently this is an annual exercise, with this year’s question being “What have you changed your mind about?” A few of the responses include Georgetown Provost James O’Donnell’s telling us that he’s “stopped cheering for the Romans“, Douglas Rushkoff explaining why he isn’t so sure the Internet will change people anymore, and Alan Alda revealing that he’s changed his mind about God. Twice.
It’s a fascinating set of responses, and I suspect I’ll be spending a decent bit of time reading them over the next week. It happens that I’ve been working on getting my old archives (both from previous solo efforts and group blogs) into shape for adding here, and it’s given me reason to consider my changing political principles over the years. I hope my own (eventual) writing on the subject can be as thoughtful as some of these responses.
MB
The Slashdot article asked a more specific question – what did you change your mind about in 2007? Anyone care to answer that question? I changed my mind about a number of things, but one that sticks out is that I no longer think that agnostic is the best word to describe me, and that I’ve come to calling myself an atheist. That was a long time in coming, of course, but there was a particular moment last year where I realized that it made a lot more sense that continuing on with the agnostic label.
Peej
2007 was more of a year where I started to question some of my long-held beliefs and started to consider changing my mind. Which means 2008 will either see me with a different mindset regarding a number of things…or being even more set in my way of thinking than before. Time, as they say, will tell.
What I can tell you is that these are the top internal debates going on:
– Agnostic versus aetheist (seems like most everyone I know is going through this one, right now). For the record, I have been a staunch agnostic for many years, but I am not sure I feel that way 100%, anymore. Interestingly, my sister is going through the same debate, except that she is starting to doubt her die-hard aetheism.
– Taking a sabbatical (otherwise known as being too chicken to say considering being a stay at home mom for a period of about a year). This one is keeping me up at nights. On one hand, based on certain things related to my son, taking this particular year off could potentially make a huge difference to him in the long-run. On the other hand, note the word ‘potentially’: no one, least of all me, can really guarantee that. Add to it my own issue with not having my own income (despite the fact that by virtue of my very careful nature, I could not work for a couple of years, maintain my current standard of living without incurring any debt, and not touch a cent of long-term savings or retirement funds). That just goes against the grain of my definition of an independent adult.
– Coming to America (my move, not the movie!): For years I’ve said that if I had stayed back home, I would died from being stifled where and when it mattered to me the most. But I am not sure that isn’t happening here, either–it seems that the pace may be a little slower, but the longer I’m here, the harder it is to remember why I wanted to be, in the first place. After all, doesn’t it say something that after 18 years of living in the U.S.–the longest I have lived in any country–I still don’t refer to it as home?
(I should throw a resolution in there, as well: hijack folk’s blog’s comments less often. Otherwise, I fear you and Beth are going to ban me in 2008~)
MB
Peej, you are welcome to hijack my comments anytime.
Also, unsolicited:
1) I’ve got nothing for you. (ha)
2) Do it.
3) I wonder if you’d feel differently if you lived in a real city :)
Joy
Peej, if I were in your situation regarding 2), I would feel pretty damned comfortable doing it. Of course, right now my kid is crawling all over the place and seriously high maintenance and the thought of not having her in daycare makes me hyperventilate, but I still think it is a nice idea to take that time. I don’t know all the issues, but as long as you don’t go in with unrealistic expectations, think of all the fun you can have!
I swore up and down, through much of 2006 and 2007, that L was my one and only baby. I never wanted to be pregnant again, or give birth again, it was too much, it was my wife’s turn, I was done. Hormones and memory loss are cruel, because I so want another pregnancy, even at my ancient age.
Peej
Thanks, guys. Your reponse to #2 has been pretty much what all my immediate family’s and best friend’s response have been. My parents are all, “We raised you to have a work ethic, but not a work martyr complex”, which is frightfully accurate and the crux of my own internal debate. Sometimes I think I would have done wonderfully well living in a commune!