On second thought…

In the vein of my previous post about fostering discussion, I have another question for readers: have you ever substantially changed your mind about something on the basis of an argument you read here? If so, which post did it?

Author: Milan

In the spring of 2005, I graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in International Relations and a general focus in the area of environmental politics. In the fall of 2005, I began reading for an M.Phil in IR at Wadham College, Oxford. Outside school, I am very interested in photography, writing, and the outdoors. I am writing this blog to keep in touch with friends and family around the world, provide a more personal view of graduate student life in Oxford, and pass on some lessons I've learned here.

5 thoughts on “On second thought…”

  1. Milan,

    I do learn a lot by reading your blog, but I don’t recall outright rejecting a long-held belief as a result of reading a single argument presented here. I think that would be an unfair expectation for you to have, as there are very few instances where reading a single argument has led me immediately to a complete paradigm shift. It is, however, possible that I would have read something here that made me consider an issue more thoroughly, and that this thought process led me to a conclusion to which I wouldn’t have otherwise arrived. But it is often difficult to trace such a thought process to its origin.

    In any case, I do think that my understanding of the issues do become more nuanced, as a result of reading your entries and the discussion posts of others. I enjoy the thought that you put into your posts, and that makes me come back fairly often to see what new topic you’ve blogged about.

    I thoroughly enjoy your blog, Milan. Keep doing what you’re doing.

    Ed

  2. I like your no-nonsense attitude towards torture. While I am also anti-torture, I have found your absolutist stance to be persuasive.

  3. I refuse to take a stand on torture, because I refuse to admit it has entered into the public discourse as something that people can hold positions about.

    Taking a stand on torture is like taking a stand on whether the holocaust happened or not.

  4. “I refuse to take a stand on torture, because I refuse to admit it has entered into the public discourse as something that people can hold positions about.”

    Horrifying and Unnecessary

    In the next few days President Bush is expected to again claim the right to order mistreatment of prisoners that any civilized person would regard as torture.

    Mr. Bush is planning to veto a law that would require the C.I.A. and all the intelligence services to abide by the restrictions on holding and interrogating prisoners contained in the United States Army Field Manual. Mr. Bush says the Army rules are too restrictive.

    It is important for us to speak out, even if we feel opposing torture is obvious.

  5. A Calgary journalist just this week defended the entire Guantanamo Bay operations, using his Brilliant Calgarian Logic that if someone in a position of authority is doing it, therefore it must be right.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *