Switching sides

I read someone the other day explaining why they became a conservative. The story was something along the lines that they grew up with parents active in the ALP, adopting their views by default, then going to university and being confronted by lefties who were also, personality-wise, dickheads. So, said conservative completely abandoned progressive politics and went with the side that was fighting against the people he personally disliked.

In other words, he couldn't separate a principle from the person holding it.

I think this is very sad. How can you live in such a way? You can't think too closely about issues, because someone you don't like might come along and agree with you and then you'll have to abandon them. Or, conversely, you might have to suddenly start agreeing with something you haven't really thought your way through, just because someone you like has said it. An you can't consider the people on your "side" too carefully, because they're now on your team. If you've grown to like a particular argument, you have to like all the people who share it, no matter what they say or do, because otherwise you won't be able to hold it any more...

I suppose for all the unpleasantness of, well, having to act like a bit of a tribal moron, this approach would have its benefits. You'd feel some sense of belonging, which could be valuable if, deep down, you were insecure about your own worth. And you'd always have allies who'd come to talk with you, so you could each bolster the other's sense of how right you both clearly are because you are in such firm agreement. And you wouldn't have to think too deeply about a subject - you could just read what your friendly allies have written and parrot it.

Wouldn't work for me, I'm afraid - I wouldn't be able to get past the suspicion that I was being an idiot. But I'm glad it's working for so many out there.