“People change their minds about things, and usually it is the result of experience”
August 26, 2008 (Tuesday)
After months and months of presidential politics, with the parties sifting through potential candidates and finally coming up with two men, we have the two conventions this week and next. Then the campaign really begins in earnest. Until election day in November, this race will dominate the news and capture the attention of the nation.
You probably already know which one you will vote for, and the campaign is not likely to change your mind. There may be a few people around who have not yet decided, but probably not many. The truth is, an election held immediately after the party conventions would probably yield about the same results as the one next November.
The question then comes to me, what makes people change their minds about anything? What would it take to lead a person to change religion, political party, ideas about the role of government, moral issues or anything else?
A companion question might be, “Why do people refuse to consider changing their minds?” The answer may be that holding on to their present beliefs gives feelings of security. As one guy said, “My mind is made up – don’t confuse me with the facts.”
People do change their minds about things, and usually it is the result of experience, many times a crisis experience that shakes a person’s entire view of self and the world. But few people change their minds because they saw a commercial, or heard a speech. There will be plenty of that in September and October. God bless the U.S.A.