Ways you've changed since you started reading/posting at a2k

Wow, guys. Now that's what I call effective therapy. Thanks so much. Ommmmmm

I especially enjoy his double posts. It's almost a trademark.

My participation here has resulted in a number of changes in me.

First, my writing is more conversational since I started posting here. I now write more like I talk. Reminder to self: Don't write "gotta" when writing for work.

I'm no longer apologetic about avoiding threads that might be on worthwhile topics but that bore me.

I find myself often looking at the world through the perspective of, will this make a good thread on a2k?

I view the world a bit more kindly, with respect to the human race. Yes, there are plenty of unpleasant people around, but I've seen the kindness, thoughtfulness, interest, and generosity of many people here who in many respects are strangers. I'm a bit less cynical than I used to be.

I could go on. You guys gotta keep in mind that for days on end, a2k provides me with my only human contact. How could I not be changed by that? And what might have happened to me without it?

This forum turned me Gay!

It also made me happy.

I don't think participating in this forum has noticibly changed me in any way.

If other's have experienced a positive change or two, I'm happy for them.

Compared to when I started posting---

• My politics a lot less libertarian and a lot more liberal. That's because reality has been extremely unkind to libertarian theories about political economy, especially since the financial crisis that started 2007/2008.
  
  
• My framework for thinking about American law has become somewhat less originalist. Gay marriage is a good case in point. Although I always supported it as a political matter, I used to reject the notion that the US constitution makes it mandatory. The equal-protection clause of the 14th Amendment didn't seem to stretch that far. I no longer hold this view. The reason is the several dozen discussions I've had about the subject with Debra_Law and Joefromchicago, most of which I lost.
  
  
• I am somewhat more inclined that global warming isn't just happening and man-made (neither of which I ever disputed), but is actually worth doing something about, given the cost of doing it. The influence there wasn't A2K, but blogging economists such as Paul Krugman and Brad DeLong.

Otherwise, I'm pretty much the same. When I read my posts from when I joined in 2003, I still recognize their voice as mine---for better and for worse.

I feel no shame now, in consulting reference texts to solve some of those crossword questions.

So we're, like, curing your more Aspergerish tendencies? Yes!!!!!! I am almost ready to worship some kind of tepid deity!

I think I 've gotten lazier, but I do it more slowly.





David