Albert Einstein Quote

[MorGrendel]

"Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are even incapable of forming such opinions." - Albert Einstein

I came across this quote in a how to communicate seminar, I just thought I'd post it and see you all's thoughts. I posted it here, as nowhere more is this felt than political discussions.

[ahrimen]

it does say "few people", but i feel then that i may be an exception for the the reason thet demographicly i should be a democrat. im blue collar, under paid, lower lower middle class at best. i fall into the 40% of workers who pay no fed income tax, (Ethan helps with that) (and i gona get a tax cut?) but i have no desire to take anything that anyone else earned by thier own sweat or risk, if im goning to get i will get it on my own, and if i get it i dont want anyone but me deciding how it gets spent. if i dont get well good for those who did.

my social enviroment is deffinently not rich buissness owners ,my bosses are the only ones i know,(you guys are my social enviroment) and i felt this way long before i worked for them. working for them may have strenthend my belief as i have seen the risk they take and how hard they work....and worry about always keeping the buissness afloat. in my opinion they shoud keep every dime they make and distribute it as they see fit. most people dont have the interaction with the owner of the company they work for and i think assume that they are some rich cigar puffing fat white man on a yacht laughing at them while he sips chardonnay, with most it is not the case (im sure there are some) most have put everything they have on the line time and time again, most have worked well into the night weeks or months or years at a time, and many have failed over and over again with no fed. bail out to save them, they just pick themselves up and try again. i dont think that that type of attitude in America should be punished.

[Berserker]

I agree that most people will act acordingly to how they were brought up (hence why parents are so important in the future of their kids), but i think that as the environments change, beliefs also change. Going to college, making new friends, visiting other countries etc, add new views which may change how you view life, even challenge what you thought to be absolutely true. This is why i think a college education is so important. If nothing else, it will open up your world and give you multiple perspectives. It gives you a choice to your beliefs. For many people, this is the only time they will be exposed to something different then what they grew up with.