Are you a closed minded person? How do we know if we truly are open minded? I learned through my life to always question whatever knowledge presented to me and make sure I'm making the right judgment objectively.
In any discussion when there is a disagreement or misconception, instead of criticizing or dismissing the opponent it would be ideal and more civilized to provide some counter evidence or logic, otherwise understanding the reason why we put a wall of rejection in the face new or unconventional thoughts is essential to our progress and self development. Sometimes, as opened minded as we think we are, we find ourselves closing doors in the face of some challenging ideologies or values .. our brain consistently thrive to be comfortable.. even scientists who should always be accepting new knowledge and challenging ideas we historically have seen some examples of rejections to new hypotheses to the point of alienating the person who suggested something defied the previous conventionally accepted hypothesis or what is considered a "fact" ..
Having the ability to always challenge yourself and accept the humility of being wrong or admitting to be ignorant in the topic is a rare skill and very hard to be constantly aware of it.
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.It's not a dichotomous condition. It's a spectrum, and also depends on the subject. But I've found that the level of intelligence is somewhat proportional to one's ability to question one's views.
AtheistReader
Level 7
Apr 18, 2019
1
In reality, it depends on the subject and how much I feel I know about it. I am not open minded about climate change deniers. I don't need to hear another word about it. I feel the same about religion, guns, and women's rights including reproductive rights. I don't need to hear another opinion on those subjects.
Sticks48
Level 9
Apr 17, 2019
2
@Neenz I really don't have a problem with people believing in God or an afterlife, or any of those things. It is my disdain for organized religion that will not waiver. They are organizations whose negative effects on society far outway the positive in my opinion. I know and have known believers who don't go to church or even talk of any affiliation with a church or doctrine. They are not a threat or danger to society. They are live and let live folks.
@Neenz That is a good question. I have no answer. I am not a bad person, but I do tend to stay out of other people's business. I found out a long time ago, unless someone asks for help, they generally don't want it. I might think someone is living a life no one would want, because I wouldn't want it. Of course I could be very wrong.. As for the children, one can only hope at some point they will be able to look at their indoctrination as just that and figure out what works for them. This is all gray area, except the overall harm that comes from organized religions. IMHO
There is a trade off between openness and relation. If you are as open as possible you have to judge every situation as if it is the first time you are seeing it. If you are as closed as possible you will judge everything based on past experiences and no novel experiences can occur.
If you approach everything completely open minded making connections between related things becomes difficult, however if everything is approached with a closed mind making critical distinctions between things becomes difficult.
Happy_Killbot
Level 7
Apr 17, 2019
0
"It pays to keep an open mind, but not so open that your brains fall out" Carl Sagan
GwenC
Level 7
Apr 17, 2019
1
@Neenz ,
natural compassion? sadly, examples throughout history prove otherwise.
most ppl could not care less about ppl starving across the world.
the US, with NATO, bombs once thriving countries back to a miserable existance. do you think the average american really cares? if they did they would protest to their representatives & turn them out of office. no, so long as average ppl consider themselves fairly well off, they don't care if it comes at the expense of the less fortunate.
human nature isn't pretty.
Are you kidding?
I've got a mind like a steel trap -- it closes at the slightest touch.
I don't think anyone is (or in fact should be) capable of a truly open mind. The best we can do is blunder through the best we can.
We have to make our own choices and hopefully accept our own blame and take our credit.
RichCC
Level 8
Apr 17, 2019
1
I grew up in small town AZ. My family has long-time roots with the Mormon settlers who founded most of the communities in the AZ/UT Strip Country area and with the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. I even have distant relatives in Colorado City and Bundyville for anybody who recognizes those names. Fortunately my family didn't happen to get indoctrinated in the LDS church until after my high school after I moved away.... so I escaped.
When I went to school in Atlanta it was a culture shock. There were people who actually believed things that I'd only read about. I didn't know that race attitudes were much closer to the Civil War than anyone had ever told me.
And gender relations were just as bad. The age of consent in GA at the time was 14. It was interesting watching non-south guys reactions. For us it was very disconcerting to see jr. high girls wandering around frat parties.
My prejudices got locked in. I'll never trust people to treat each other by my expectations again. The Golden Rule is garbage. Treating folks the way you want to be treated is naive and selfish. The Platinum Rule is much better. Treat people the way they want to be treated.
Ever since, I don't trust anyone to behave well on their own. I expect people to be just as selfish as they can get away with.
Ok. Rant over for now. That's my steel trap prejudice -- don't trust people any farther than you can throw a fit. I tell people I'm a bit of a nihilist - I do what good I can but I have very little confidence that it will have any lasting effect.
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