Flip-flopping is good

Thesedays, people that "flip flop" between being in favour of two sides of an argument are looked down on as being indecisive. Politicians are often branded Flip-Floppers by their opponents if they ever change their opinions.

However, not being able to examine an issue from various viewpoints removes your ability to think critically. You hold an opinion not because of the evidence you have at any point, but because you once made up your mind to take one side - and have just stuck there ever since.

Take an emotive issue like abortion or the death penalty, and you will see that people rarely change their position on it. As new scientific evidence comes to light against the stance they have taken, they often ignore it or attack the integrity or background of the scientist who discovered it, rather than examine it critically.

Of course, when you need to make a decision, you have to weigh up the evidence at that point and make a choice. Until then, be a flip-flopper.