Depends.

I have no doubt it can be done. I’ve seen something along these lines for myself. Many people have begun their life with destructive ideas only to realize what was wrong and shake that off themselves, which one might say is natural as the seekers of insight we are. I’d be lying to say this didn’t describe me in a few ways, having thought in a more generalized, unthinking way in the past. Given enough time, it’s hard to imagine that not all of us would become Uncle Iroh.

We are given a glimpse of this in history; we see the likes of Hirohito going from warlike to a pacifist, General Butt Naked converting from a genocidal warlord to a preacher, Dr. Seuss once being Japanophobic before making amends, the great Confucius himself becoming who he was after being disillusioned with his position of power, and if you are of my religious group, God himself.

Theres a few types of changes that can happen to people.

1: Change hammered in by the vicissitudes of time.

This is stuff like getting used to your dead end job because it’s comfy.

2: Change foisted upon you by happenstance.

This is stuff like becoming a parent or suffering a life changing medical emergency.

3: Reactive change caused by inner turmoil.

This is the kind of change that happens during a midlife crises or by an sudden inspiration that must be acted upon immediately or it loses its potency.

4: Intentional change by measured reason.

This is the kind of change people typically think of when they say people can’t change. It’s the hard kind of change and is rarely done in one’s life and even when it is done it’s the kind of windmill you can waste your whole life tilting at without ever slaying a slaying a single giant.

Anyone can change the shape of their soul if they recognize its current shape and start making changes to it.

Changing for the better is the real task.

If they can’t we’re definitely fucked so it’s better to assume yes.

sometimes

Intentionally as in “X parts of my personality are pushing people away so I should work on that”? Yea in general, but it’s not easy, it requires serious effort and motivation from within.

Over time and just leaving it to fate on if those changes are good or bad? Also yes, but without putting in the effort to control it who knows where it’ll end up. Like if someone is “an angry person” in their 20s maybe they’ll chill out in their 40s…or get worse

Yes in 2 ways:

• Gradually through the years, so slowly they don’t even notice it
• If they internally decide they have to do it, for some motivation of their own

What will never ever happen is that people change if others demand it from them. If you hear someone saying “I promise I will change” - no they won’t.

Some things, people cannot change, except by getting worse. Someone who is suffering from dementia, certain personality disorders, etc., may learn techniques to cope and even thrive, but there’s nothing that can restore lost brain function, or undo childhood developmental issues that fundamentally affect the brain.

Yes, have you never changed?

I’m an old guy. I started my life as a right-wing Conservative Christian. I’m now. Both an atheist and an anarchist. So yes people change. My journey has been six decades long.

People can change if they’re willing to put in the effort to do so.

Look into Neuroplasticity.

I have certainly changed over the years. The change can be attributed partially to growing as a person over the years, and partially to major, life-altering events.