Flip-flop is not always hypocritical

[srellim234]

This article from Live Science this morning.

http://www.livescience.com/cul....html

I never have understood why people are arbitrarily condemned for changing their minds based on evidence. The political campaigns and talking heads arbitrarily condemn, but that just shows weakness on their parts in an attempt to get votes.

Funny thing about education. The more you learn the better you can make informed choices.

If a change in stance is done solely to get votes, the change isn't the problem. The lack of character is. Same thing the other way. Not making a change in your stance when there is mounting evidence against it is just as wrong.

[rn79870]

We can thank those with the ability to think things through and change their mind. Otherwise, when I go sailing I might fall off the edge of the earth and disappear.

instead of "flip-flopping" (which really refers to a back and fourth and back and fourth etc. mindset) a better term would be "intelligent re-consideration."

[srellim234]

You'd better change that attitude. If you don't sail over the edge you'll never get to see the giant turtle the earth is resting on.

[Cold_Zero]

While changing one's mind can and does show maturity especially over time, the whole 'flip flop' thing really came about because John Kerry kept going back and forth on the issues in 2004. He would say one thing to one group of people and then turn around and change is position when it was not politically expedient. I do realize that the whole 'I was for the war before I was against the war' comment was the fruition of the whole "flip flop" mantra. What made the attack so effective was John Kerry's unwillingness to say that he made a mistake. Whether it be the authorization for the Invasion of Iraq or his Defense Spending voting record, he could admit that he had made mistakes.

Look at Romney's views on 'abortion.' Did he flip flop? No, he was pro-life and through time formulated a different opinion on the subject. But he didnt do it because it was politically expedient.