Will you change your beliefs for cold hard cash?

[Rojava Free State]

If someone paid me money to advocate abstinence, I'd go into a school and yell "don't have sex" before heading to my next stop...

...a brothel.

[The New California Republic]

There would be no way for them to verify that you have.

[Kragholm Free States]

Well that's not really how beliefs work, so no.

Would I pretend to have changed my beliefs though? Sure, why not. If I became a millionaire and all I had to do was call myself a communist, I'd do it and revel in the delicious irony.

[The Emerald Legion]

No. That's not how beliefs work. You don't make conscious decisions about them. Would I pretend that I had? To the person trying to pay me? Sure, they resigned the right to expect me to ask honestly when they tried to bribe me. Beyond that? Nah, probably not, unless it was something really unimportant and a fair bit of money.

Sure it is.

That. Being said, no. I like my belief settings.

[Phydios]

My convictions are not for sale. Period. I would be lying to myself and everyone else, every day, if I did that.

[Ifreann]

After reading the news that Roe was offered a fuckton of money to change her mind on abortion, even as she said that it was "all an act," it got me turning to NSG with an idea for a thread: namely, given how she changed her mind because she got paid to do so, surely there are people out here who will be willing to alter one of their major beliefs: one that they deeply hold all through their lives, just so they can be slightly wealthier.

Thus, my question to NSG is this: will you change your most deeply-held political belief(s) for cold hard cash, if someone extraordinarily wealthy were to offer you an obscene amount of cash to do so?

Personally, I would do so: if I was offered an obscene amount of wealth to abandon my anti-American political beliefs, I'd certainly take the money and begin praising the American government and how it benefited the world, as opposed to right now where I look more at the negatives of American government on both its own people, and on the international stage. If such a change can help me ensure my family can live comfortably, I'd take the money.

But McCorvey didn't change her beliefs. She said things that she didn't believe because she was paid to do so.

---

There is no amount of money you could pay me to push opinions directly opposed to my deepest held beliefs. If I change my opinions, it is because I become convinced that the other person has a better argument, more evidence supporting them or so on.

No-one can see into your head to know you don't mean what you say. You are judged, in part, by the opinions you spout and (thanks to the internet) they never go away.

Long after she dies -- those speeches McCorvey gave, denouncing abortion, will be out there. The fact she was said it all for money and was pretending will mean nothing. "Look, the woman who fought to legalise abortion regretted it" will always be a pro-life talking point.

She died in 2017.

[Geneviev]

There would be no way for them to verify that you have.

That's why it's almost free money.

[Suicune]

Depends on the belief and the amount of money. But yeah sure, everyone and everything has a price. If I got paid enough I’m sure I could be convinced to go to church and preach daily or go to weekly anti-abortion rallies.

[Qabea]

It certainly depends on what belief and who's paying.

[The New California Republic]

There would be no way for them to verify that you have.

That's why it's almost free money.

The only way that they could even try to verify it is if they kept you under 24/7 surveillance, and even then you could just go through the motions of having a certain belief, to deceive them into thinking that your opinions have changed.

[Geneviev]

That's why it's almost free money.

The only way that they could even try to verify it is if they kept you under 24/7 surveillance, and even then you could just go through the motions of having a certain belief, to deceive them into thinking that your opinions have changed.

It's not even hard to act as if your beliefs changed if the new belief is similar to what you actually believe.

[Andsed]

I would take the money and not change. It is not a legal contract so they can’t force me to do anything.

[VVerkia]

Thus, my question to NSG is this: will you change your most deeply-held political belief(s) for cold hard cash, if someone extraordinarily wealthy were to offer you an obscene amount of cash to do so?

If they are deeply held, therefore can't be changed by money. If they are changed, then they aren't deep. You can imagine it like ocean. You can at least try and make waves on surface, but don't make anything in deeeep parts.
I say no.

No-one can see into your head to know you don't mean what you say.

Are you sure?

[Sundiata]

I couldn't.

[An Alan Smithee Nation]

The reverse question is also interesting. Would you pay someone to agree with you?

The behaviour of the people who paid in this case seems immoral to me.

[The Blaatschapen]

The reverse question is also interesting. Would you pay someone to agree with you?

What am I, a marketeer?

[VVerkia]

The reverse question is also interesting. Would you pay someone to agree with you?

No. Is someone don't agree by ownself, id don't trully agree than nope. It's that person decision. What i don't like - ehen someone fake ownself. Either faking disagreement or faking agreement.

[Dylar]

As much as I want the money, I'mma have to go with no.

[Dominioan]

Probably yes, as i have had flexible opinions in the past. But not fascism. Never fascism.

[Saiwania]

I need the money badly enough to where the answer is probably yes. I'm for hire.

[Cekoviu]

It'd depend on what I'd have to change to and how visibly I'd have to endorse it (I would not change to actively aiding Nazis, but I might be okay with quietly advocating for something that wouldn't actually do that much harm).

[Infinity Shard]

My beliefs are my own and I’d refuse to change them for money (no matter how much). In fact, allowing ourselves to be swayed by money would be what keeps the corrupt and powerful ahead of others.

[Alorgaze]

Yes, this is just free cash.

[Katganistan]

No, I wouldn't change my beliefs for money. Then they wouldn't be my beliefs.

[Pan-Asiatic States]

i would trade my political views to not be depressed, and there's no guarantee cold hard cash would do that