How Open Minded are You?

[Steve_Minshall]

Today, again, I was told on the forums to be more open minded.

So in the spirit of open-mindedness I have done a bit of introspection. I thought hay I am pretty open minded. But then I think back to the teenager that read every success book available and even experimented with scientology. Then yes I am now much more likely to point at some dung and think "bull s@#t" rather than "fertiliser".

So how can you be open minded but not gullible?
How can you be analytical without being closed to new ideas?

[Couple It]

Interesting. I was definitely more open minded to everything when I was younger. But I was also a risk taker.

Age and responsibility has put a bit of a dampener on that approach to life, although I like to think I am still reasonably open-minded. I tend to not make judgements immediately. Even the bs I take on and give myself a day or two to consider it before I decide that it's bs lol

I think all you can do is keep testing yourself, and putting yourself in contact with others who test you. And that's what you do here Steve.

Wendy

[JohnTranter]

It depends whom I'm talking to.

If I agree with something someone says, they say I'm very open minded.
If I disagree with something someone says, they say I'm very closed minded.

Having previously lived with a hippy for a number of years, I'm apparently very closed minded.

[DavidM]

Originally Posted by JohnTranter

It depends whom I'm talking to.

If I agree with something someone says, they say I'm very open minded.
If I disagree with something someone says, they say I'm very closed minded.

Having previously lived with a hippy for a number of years, I'm apparently very closed minded.

Well yes, this is how we all are. We accept things we are familiar with. And for things we are not familiar with we either reject it outright or continue to seek information until we can pigeon hole it into a known camp where we can accept or reject it. We're not good with ambiguity. It's either accept or reject.

[Rowan @ GardenLarder]

I think it is good to be open minded but not so open minded that you brain falls out. - I heard that somewhere and just had to add it here,lol.

Anyway... the older I have got the more open minded I have become.

• I have learned that it is ok for people to make mistakes, and it is ok for me not to correct them.
• I have learned that it is not my place to judge people.
• I have learned that it is ok for there to be things that I don't agree with and that they are probably just as right as my views.
• I have learned that there is more than one way to do just about everything and it doesn't matter if some other ways are slower or less efficient, as long as theywork in the end.
• I have learned that I am often not right, and apologising is not that hard

[MatthewKeath]

There are a lot of bad ideas which after consideration I don't agree with with.

That's not being closed minded, it being a rational human being. As long at as when you started considering them the possibility of you accepting was open.

A stupid idea is a stupid idea.

[Johny]

You wanna be careful. This topic also has no definite answer, much like the one relating to education and qualifications.

Especially if people start to reflect on what they consider is a requirement of being open minded. lol

[NathanB]

This topic certainly does have definite answer... it's quite simple and elegant actually.

To be open minded equals the simple ability to intake new information indiscriminately and with out prejudice or preconceived convictions.

Just because you take new information in does not immediately mean you will believe it or accept it. That part of the process (scrutiny) is an entirely different thing.

I like to believe I am open minded. I am not only willing to accept any information I, i desire it... from there I seek evidence to support or falsify. In the event I am neither able to support of falsify, the information remains null.

EDIT: In EVERY circumstance of information being presented. It is ENTIRELY up to the presenter to substantiate the claim/information. Falsification is not required by the presentee. - This is for all those people who have been they are closed minded for rejecting a claim or piece of information.

[ojwebdesign]

i guess it really depends who your talking to?

being open minded but not gullible gives you a much broader perspective of looking at things =)

kind regards,
Oj

[IncredibleCo]

There'll always be people who tell you what / who you should be. It's human nature for people to try to change others into copies of themselves. It makes them feel more comfortable.

What you're talking about tho isn't open mindedness, it's trust.