what does it mean to be open minded?

:2thumbsup:

 

A lot of the time true, but if it is explained why and in what regard the other person should open their mind it can be constructive as well. But yeah just claiming the one who doesn't agree doesn't do so because they are closeminded or not as openminded as they are serves little purpose

 

It sounds more like that person had a close-minded approach and I agree that it shouldn't be used in that way to leverage a debate.

It should be used to guide the debate, used to demonstrate that multiple viewpoints have been considered and how the conclusion has come about.

 

The concept of a ridiculous idea is entirely subjective.

I'm sure a lot of people still believe homosexuality is just a ridiculous idea that some choose to follow.

This is why respect is so important. It is okay to think that an idea is ridiculous. I personally do not think it is okay to disrespect another human being for it. There are way too many different ideas, philosophies, and ways of life on this planet to disrespect anyone with what you deem to be a ridiculous idea.

I think a huge part of being open minded involves showing all human beings respect.

 

Not if there are facts involved.

 

Maybe it isn't about SHOWING respect, but rather REFRAINING from disrespect. For example there was a cross dresser appliance sales"man" at Bloomingdales here in San Diego. He looked awful, and the customers were astounded and viewed him as a spectacle. I admit hands down, very hard to be open minded. Yet, yet, yet, he is a person that has a right to that choice, and while I didn't approve nor accept, I didn't treat him/her any different than others. I interacted with him/her as openly as I could (altho I normally talk about the elephant in the room) while others decided to shop elsewhere.

 

What if the facts can be skewed for differing opinions?

Take global warming as an obvious example.

Mass media, politicians and a large portion of society will have you believe CO2 emissions are the primary cause of global warming.

When in reality, cattle farming releases a large amount of methane which in much smaller amounts is a much worse greenhouse gas than CO2.

Any astrophysicist will tell you the temperature variations on this planet are much more in line with solar cycles than CO2

The facts are skewed to be used for a taxation system, nothing more. Of course, that doesn't mean we don't have to protect the environment.

Yet people who are against the propaganda are labelled heretics.

 

Evidently. Of course you don't have to accept ideas that you don't agree with to be openminded. But when you don't accept that people are entitled to have different (conflicting even) opinions than yours you are not doing your connection with reality a favour.
I also think it is evident respect is needed to listen openminded to an idea that conflicts yours. What I don't agree with is that it's not okay to disrespect other people or their opinion. It is okay to do so to a certain extend (bothering other people with it is something else of course) but (as always essentially) you have to deal with the consequences.

 

:daisy:

 

The key there is course 'to a certain extent' And disrespecting beforehand remains to be the opposite of openminded

 

I'd say open-mindedness and tolerance are two different things but they sure do go hand in hand.

TW: I don't see global warming debate as something ridiculous, though. I'm talking more about Jesus riding an alien dinosaur vs fact, kind of debate. You do nicely sum up the problem with factual debate though.

 

Unfortunately, there are many that do! Too many... it's a rather scary thought about the world we live in, that people will choose to not even try to listen to anything. People who will just pick one thing and believe it no matter what anyone presents to them.

Rupert Sheldrake talks about scientific dogmas quite a bit

Haha, ok... I think most can be forgiven for taking a dis-respectful stance on that one. What I'd try to do there myself now is either just be respectful and find a way to leave or play with their idea - push it further - have fun with it. Even if it doesn't mean anything, playing with your imagination can be very enjoyable. Doesn't mean your accepting the idea, just means you're bringing enjoyment and showing respect to someone who had that idea and put it out in the world. There's no purpose to just destroy the idea for the "fun" of it or taunt them for it - all that does is make them feel bad. If someone gets an ego boost from making someone feel bad like that, then they need to re-evaluate their ego - there's no point in causing suffering.

(in the past I'd have looked at them weird, called them a loon and run away)

Although... what if Jesus was a mushroom, like the tree of knowledge? Or at least the mushroom "spirit" :sunny:

But duuuuuuuuuude, how do you know Jebus didn't ride a dinosaur on another planet? Prove it!!! (lol)

If he's a powerful spirit, can't he make his own dinosaurs whenever he chooses?

Probably has a rainbow of t-rexes lined up to ride... instead of mood rings, mood dinosaurs.

Why would Jesus want a dinosaur? The loch ness monster tells better jokes!

Is bigfoot nice to cuddle with all that fur or does he smell like a wet dog?

:sunny:

 

Hm....tolerance and open mindedness....

We all tolerate because what others do is not within our control so we tolerate by default. Being open minded to their opinions and choices and style is about not making conclusions about their character.

 

I once had a friend that had an intense desire to fuck a donkey. I was open minded about it. Unfortunately for my friend,the donkey wasn't. So it goes. Relatively speaking.

 

Which reminds me that in my youth I was quite open-minded, accepting, and respectful of an online friend on ICQ who would have sex with his dog because he did not like the way human skin felt.

 

great replies so far :2thumbsup:

do you (the *general you*) believe that close mindedness exists within open-mindedness? like, that close mindedness is something that occurs when someone just isn't open minded enough? holier than thou kind of thing? is this a fallacy that disrupts the nature of being open minded? i have a sense that it does disrupt it, but i'm not sure how

also, if you value being open minded, how do you practice and keep this up in your day to day life?

i have the idea that it's difficult to do something, keep up a worldview, without keeping it up in the little things you do/see every day. being open-minded could be as simple as walking to the bus stop to go home, and if you have the time, really seeing who and what you're walking past for opportunity to explore and develop and learn, or at the very least listen. that's what i mean. not just getting stuck on "i'm on my way to the bus, that's my job now". of course, sometimes we just need to get home cause we're busy... but sometimes i find myself being hardheaded and set in my ways, in subtle ways, even when i don't really have to be and opportunity could change my entire day

when i don't practice being open minded every moment that i'm able to, and neglect it like that, i don't see how it's going to work when it comes to listening to other ideas in some vague "be open minded about others opinions". when does that happen? i just don't see how i can say fuck it one moment and turn it on the next

 

As far as our ability to apprehend information an open mind is one that does not try and tell you what it sees or whether it likes what it sees or not. Simply you cannot listen and speak at the same time.

Is it desirable to be open minded? It can be to the extent that you desire to be free to experience things on an equal basis,
but many would rather be right than live happily or care free, as in "oh, I could never do that!"

 

everybody loves a little ass sex.

 

I keep an open mind, and you know what it gets me?

Every time I see undys avatar you know what I'm gonna think about now... ass sex.

I'm keeping this baby closed from now on. You people are corrupting me.

 

Being open-minded is about being humble enough to realize that you don't know everything, and you never will.