What is Open-mindedness...
Download as DOCX, PDF1 like445 views
The document discusses different definitions of open-mindedness that the author has heard. The author disagrees with definitions that refer to being open to new experiences or giving things you dislike a chance. The author argues these definitions are too vague and could include unpleasant or dangerous activities. Instead, the author proposes that open-mindedness means keeping an open mind to new ideas and concepts while still knowing your own views and tastes, and being willing to consider you may be wrong about some things.
What is Open-mindedness...
- 1. What is open-mindedness? I’ve been thinking about open-mindedness a lot, lately. What is open-mindedness, really? People throw this around like a ball in a distant basket. Truth is, if you ask ten people about what open- mindedness is, you would probably get ten different answers. I will try to examine some of the things I’ve heard over a course of, say – a few months and see how many of them were correct and how many of them I agree with. One of the things I’ve heard most about open-mindedness is ‘being open to new experiences.’ That’s the pure rubbish you hear from people who have no idea what they are talking about but like to sound intelligent. I mean – what does that even mean? Open to new experiences? Stabbing yourself is a new experience – why don’t you try it? You definitely have to be open-minded for that, as well as at least mildly psychotic. What does a new experience mean? Are you close-minded if you don’t want to eat a live octopus or swim with sharks without a protective cage? This is an unclear and vague definition, by which everybody is close-minded and nobody is open-minded, which, in turn, defeats the purpose of the term in the first place. This is so vague, I can’t agree with it by any stretch of the imagination. I can’t even disagree with it. Another popular definition I’ve heard so many times is ‘giving something you don’t like a chance makes you open-minded.’ So, you dislike something but you ‘give it a chance’ in order to be open- minded? Isn’t there a reason one dislikes something in the first place? If you dislike it, why give it ‘another chance?’ Why do that to yourself? Seems kind of masochistic, don’t you think? Like, for example, you don’t like some sort of food, but you eat anyway. Or dislike certain music, but listen to it. Or not enjoying a certain film but watching it. Examples go on and on. I think such compromise is meaningless. It doesn’t make you open-minded. It merely makes you waste your time doing unpleasant activities. Mundane activities like cleaning, washing the dishes – chores, in general, are excluded here. Whether you like it or not, you have to clean, wash the dishes, etc. Taking the above into consideration, I definitely disagree that doing unpleasant activities has anything to do with open-mindedness. Enough of that, already. Let me tell you what I think on the matter. You’re reading my blog, so I assume you want to know. Here it is – open-minded is a mental state where the subject’s mind is open to new ideas, concepts, etc. What this means is – you know who you are, you know what you like, you know what you want and from there on you are ready to consider broadening your views and always assume that, no matter how certain you are in something, you might be wrong. It’s a simple definition but I think it covers the concept. Keep an open mind but take rubbish from nobody.