I bet you think you’re open-minded. Well I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings, but you’re not. You’re not even close.
Amazingly enough, along with being good at lovemaking and driving, pretty much everybody thinks they’re open-minded. The fact that we’d never have any arguments let alone wars if only it were true seems to escape most people’s attention.
How do I know that you in particular aren’t open-minded you may be wondering?
It’s because nobody is, including me. It’s a state that doesn’t exist in the human condition in my less than humble opinion. To be properly and genuinely open-minded you first have to accept that you may be close-minded. Can you do that? If not, then my case is closed right here and right now.
Let’s presume you’re ok with accepting that. Are you also ok with accepting ALL of the following may be true?
- God doesn’t exist
- God does exist
- The Law of Attraction makes perfect sense
- The Law of Attraction is a crock of shit
- UFO’s don’t exist
- UFO’s do exist
- Cows make excellent ballerinas
- Cows suck on the ballerina front
- The ‘War on Terror’ can be won
- The ‘War on Terror’ can never be won
- The USA is the greatest country in the world
- France is the greatest country in the world
I could go on forever and get more and more controversial, but I think you get my drift and you know I don’t like pushing people too far ;-)
None of the above statements are provable and if something isn’t provable then, then by definition there is doubt. To suspend that doubt means to close ones mind to other alternatives and thus to be close-minded.
This is probably the most pointless post I have ever written because I have no idea where I’m going with it. I set off thinking I’d come to some natural stunning conclusion that would shock the world, not to mention myself. But alas, it’s not to be.
I recently read the absolutely stunningly brilliant ‘Prometheus Rising‘ by Robert Anton Wilson and it was that book that prompted me to think about the topic of open-mindedness. As I went through the book I kept thinking
“Wow, if only everybody on earth would read this book and challenge their own belief system what a better more tolerant and open-minded place the world would be. But some people wouldn’t read it exactly because it would challenge their entire belief system and people on the whole don’t like having their belief system challenged.”
Maybe we could form a Gideon Society type thing for Prometheus Rising and try and stimulate debate and foster open-mindedness? Or are we so close-minded that we think it could never work?
Tim Brownson is a Certified Life Coach and has been unsticking people and helping them reach their true potential since 2005. If you would like to know how he can help you
Yes, I’m close-minded. I have quite fundamentalist Christian beliefs and I’m not afraid to debate them! However being close-minded doesn’t mean that I dislike people for having differing beliefs, nor do I have the right to force my beliefs on others. Basically, if you accept my beliefs then I’ll accept yours. I may not agree with them, however I’ll accept them.
I think the other side of open-mindedness is tolerance for other’s beliefs and opinions. We all have the right to our own opinions and beliefs and so does everyone else as long as those beliefs don’t harm others.
Leaving it their or this comment is likely to degenerate into politics….
Good post Tim, it’ll be interesting to see all the comments that arise from this!
Melindas last blog post..One of the Joys of Working at Home
Tim, I think I am open minded but, I also am happy to be proven otherwise.
I do like the thread of this post I think if the world is more accepting to different points of view, and looks for substantial proof on topics that are core to their beliefs, we might just hold the planet back from destruction!
Luke – ConfusionMGMTs last blog post..Yusss Monday, time to be inspired
I’ve actually never read Wilson before; and I think I’m going to have to at this point. In wiki-ing him, I see he passed away in 2007; felt sad upon learning that fact, because what look to be some of his beliefs will be confirmed in the next few decades, I think, through ever-expending neurobiological research.
Researchers have already acknowledged a biological difference when someone is engaged in the act of problem-solving. Those biomarkers correlate pretty directly with one’s self-assessment in the context of the problem, as well as one’s likelihood to solve the problem.
My guess is that open-mindedness, tolerance, acceptance, or some mix of the three have their own biomarkers. Integrating those first into research, and then into practice, has the potential to break open our hearts and minds. A sort of neurobiofeedback, if you will. There’s already some promising research incorporating neurofeedback into ADHD treatments; why not bring it out of the solely pathological and into the humanistic? I think we can.
But we don’t have to rely solely on technology. Your idea for a Gideon Society of debating is actually right in line with part of something I’m going to send you this week (wink-wink!). Debate falls back on the art of Rhetoric, which requires at its core two principles: flexibility (the ability to adopt any argument) and critical analysis (the skill of deconstructing not only your opponent’s argument, but your own as well, probing for weakness).
Great post, Tim!
Ians last blog post..The Jedi Order and Accountability
I’m open minded enough for proper ventilation, not so much that everything falls out. I think as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized there are some things I won’t ever change my mind about and don’t really think I need to. And that there are some arguments or positions that I really don’t need to give the time of day to. It’s actually very liberating, because before I thought that being extraordinarily open minded was one of my biggest strengths and it was quite exhausting trying to keep that up.
I have not read “Prometheus Rising” YET.
Tracys last blog post..Forever Young, Part 1
“This is probably the most pointless post I have ever written because I have no idea where I’m going with it.”
OK, I’m open-minded enough to accept the statement above may be true. LOL
In my mind, be open-minded means willing to accept the possibility you may be wrong, you may have to change your mind, and being willing to do so should you find good reason. I have done that on some of my most deeply held and fundamental beliefs. I think that shows I am open-minded.
It doesn’t mean accepting the absurd. One has to have a frame through which to operate or else one is just floating aimlessly. If that frame works for you then it probably has some truth to it and you can accept those truths provisionally.
I’m going to read the Prometheus Rising book because you recommended it. Plus I just love to say “Prometheus”. It’s on of my favorite names. That may be the most pointless statement I have ever written.
Thanks for the enjoyable read Tim.
Stephen – Rat Race Traps last blog post..How to Be Successful by Believing in Your Dream
Hi Tim,
Great post and thanks for linking me.
R. A. Wilson was right, “the universe contains a maybe.”
There’s always a maybe, and I like that. (Maybe) I’m too tired to write up a decent post right now. (Maybe) I have no talent for dancing. (Maybe) I’ll never get completely organized.
I have to keep reminding myself to carry that “maybe” into every assessment I make.
David Cains last blog post..Six Amazing Songs That Illustrate What it Means to Be Human
Hi Tim~
I don’t agree that being open-minded means you must accept you may be closed-minded. This is kind of a paradox that makes me cross-eyed. If you’re willing to accept everything you think you know may be false, there’s no need to entertain the idea you may not in fact actually believe this.
However, I will say this: I don’t think any mental state is permanent. While I may be an open-minded person right now, it’s possible I will attach to certain ideas if they comfort me at different stages of my life. (For example, I could find religion after losing a loved one). If and when this happens, I will either acknowledge I’ve become a closed-minded person or remember what I wrote in this comment and find a way to make peace with not knowing.
Lori
Loris last blog post..The Cure for Discontentment: Use It
Hi Tim,
Thanks for raising this issue up, and in the witty way that you did. :D
I’ve been meaning to write a post on what it means to be open-minded. Now I think I should get down to writing it so I can contribute to this discussion. ;)
For now, I’ll just say that open-mindedness doesn’t mean that you have absolutely no ground to stand on, but that you’re willing to look at any issue from different angles, and to be willing to question the ground you stand on (i.e. the “frame” of reference Stephen mentioned).
I think we naturally become close-minded when we rely on faith as a foundation for our beliefs. Faith makes an assertion without having supporting evidence (or valid reasoning) to support it. Without evidence or reason then, technically, you’re not using your mind (and don’t want to), so you won’t be too comfortable listening to others reason about your beliefs, which might lead you to consider your beliefs rationally (where they don’t have any support).
Haiders last blog post..If You’re On A Diet, You MUST Read This!
Hey Haider-
Playing devil’s advocate here for a moment (pardon the pun). What about people whose faith rests on rational grounds? In other words, unprovable principles relying on critical analysis and argumentation?
Ians last blog post..The Neon Zen of Cigarette Smoke
Hi Ian,
Thank you for playing the devil’s advocate. It usually helps bring clarity to discussions. ;)
Reason is a tool used to find consistency between different statements. It can be used to string false statements that have no tie to reality. Just because reason is used, it doesn’t make the false statements true!
It’s important that reason is used correctly and that the statements are true. All religions have an element of reasoning. Human beings can’t hold on to separate assertions, without trying to form a comprehensive worldview out of them. That’s why when I make a point, you’ll have to see where it fits into the rest of your belief system.
To be open-minded, we should be willing to re-consider whether our reasoning is sound and whether the statements we make our true.
I hope that satisfies the devil’s advocate! :P
Haiders last blog post..If You’re On A Diet, You MUST Read This!
@ Melinda – Well kudos to you for admitting that! It kinda makes you open-minded ;-) I agree it doesn’t mean you have to dislike people. And that’s partly the point, to get people to look at it differently.
@ Luke – Well do you accept that any of the things I listed are possible? Maybe not the cow one, we all know they make great dancers.
@ Ian – I think you’re right on the biomarkers. It’s almost scary to me what we will find as the state of the art moves forward.
@ Tracy – I’m not even sure I’m saying there is a need for people to change. I’m really just thinking that if we can accept we’re not as open-minded as we think we are, then we’re more likely to become so. Weird huh?
@ Stephen – But what is absurd? Don’t mention the cows or I’ll ban you. Seriously though, things that we may consider absurd now may not be seen to be so in 10, 50 or 100 years time. I think the questions I asked really test somebody’s ability to be open-minded.
@ David – Do you take it as far as maybe there is no maybe?
@ Lori – LOL, so you kicked off a discussion on open-mindedness by saying I was wrong? ;-) Ok I know what you mean, but is there a person that TRULY accepts everything they know could be wrong? I have never met such a person, have you?
@ Haider I agree with that, but what about ‘facts’ that are later proven to be less than true? What was accepted as true 250 years ago may not be now. The same will happen again in 250 years time in all likelihood.
Also, what about looking forward i.e. Somebody saying categorically John McCain would not make a good President etc? I too can play Devils Advocate ;-)
Tim,
What people accept to be ‘fact’ isn’t necessarily so. It was never a ‘fact’ that the earth is flat. People simply assumed that it was and promoted that assumption to the status of fact (in their minds). It didn’t change reality.
Whether John McCain would make a good president or not is an opinion, given what you know about him. However, what you know may not accurately portray everything about him. He could have given a wrong impression, which can be proven false based on the way he behaves in office.
The more accurate your understanding of the nature of reality is, the fewer the intellectual mistakes you will make. But it doesn’t make you omniscient. You still need to gather more knowledge and expand your understanding.
Haiders last blog post..If You’re On A Diet, You MUST Read This!
A subtle but important flaw: the basis for provable and unprovable. Using knowledge (agreed, not opinion) does not result in a closed mind. Closed-minded scientists terminate their own careers. For example, can you really say that believing cows cannot be ballerinas is closed-minded? Poppycock. This flies in the face of fact, not in the face of belief. We know much about their physical capacities. However existence of God, validity of Law of Attraction — in fact, all of the other examples are good.
A mind so open that it questions everything is paralized. Much of what we deal with requires our acceptance of proofs we don’t understand but have valid basis for accepting. It’s blind adherance to belief that creates a closed mind. Your definition of provability is too narrow. Engineers still do not know what happens at the skin of an aircraft wing when air flows over it — but we are still justified in believing we can fly safely.
(Before a flood of protests: engineers have a field called ‘boundary layer theory” that fakes the calculations to mimic observations on aircraft skins; it has no basis in reality except that they replicate what is observed. There are many other such examples in technology. Authority? I’m a researcher.)
I’m with this comment right here:
James Chartrand – Men with Penss last blog post..What a Rotten Roof Can Teach You About Your Business
@ David – Do you take it as far as maybe there is no maybe?
Nah. One maybe covers all possibilities, no need to nest them.
David Cains last blog post..Six Amazing Songs That Illustrate What it Means to Be Human
Correction, this is the best article I have actually read in a while.
The fact about people being open minded is very true I mean lets start to talk about, money, sex, religion, politics, etc. and if you can make it through that, its a good sign but majority of people are not and better yet they don’t have a clear mind view on why they believe it and what they believe.
The biggest human fear, what others think of you.
toms last blog post..#3 I probably would have been homeless
I saw this absolutely amazing TED talk on open-mindedness. It talks about how republicans and democrats simply have the main human values in different order, and give them different weights. It’s not that republicans are inherently immoral bastards, or democrats faithless twerps.
The whole talk made me really uncomfortable, because it constantly kept challenging my view of reality. But it’s amazing to watch, and see how open-minded you REALLY are.
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/jonathan_haidt_on_the_moral_mind.html
Well worth watching. Trust me.
Vlad Dolezals last blog post..Get Rid of Procrastination! – 7 Days to Lasting Personal Growth
I just spent a weekend of intensive Buddhist study and have decided I don’t know anything and that anything I think I may know is an illusion.
But at least I know I don’t know anything. Don’t I?
Joely Blacks last blog post..When in doubt, read Amnar
UFOs absolutely do exist, because UFO stands for Unidentified Flying Object, not an alien spaceship. Anything aloft in the sky that you can’t verify is therefore unidentified and classed as a UFO.
What you meant to say was ‘Aliens Exist. Aliens don’t exist.’
It’s a common mistake, don’t worry ;)
Hey Tim!
I don’t think you are wrong; I just don’t agree with you. That doesn’t mean I am right; it just means I don’t think your interpretation serves me.
I am happy when I stay open to new information because I am more effective when I allow myself to grow and change. What allows me to survive in a world where nothing is certain is my faith in myself; my belief that even though I know nothing, I know I can roll with the punches. How does it serve me to add myself to the list of things I doubt?
Lori
Loris last blog post..The Cure for Discontentment: Use It
You’ve always got good shit to say. I think most people don’t even think about the terms they use, and it’s important to consider them.
Johnny B. Truants last blog post..I’m developed like film, yo
I think the fact that you’re willing to ramble a bit and explore a topic like this is at the heart of being open-minded. Not knowing where you’re going and not wrapping everything up with a “stunning conclusion” shows that you’re willing to dig into something without needing to fully understand it first.
People get really defensive about what they believe, and the urge to definitively defend what they believe. I think this is particularly a problem for Christians, and in turn, it makes them seem closed minded (in many cases it actually *makes* them more close-minded). As someone who really believes something that I don’t fully understand and can’t fully explain, I’ve learned to be OK with all of it, and open about what I know and don’t know.
Kristin T. (@kt_writes)s last blog post..The fine art of not making memories
@ Haider – But what is ‘fact’? How do we know that things that are taken as fact now want be disproved in 1,000 years? That is the whole point. Have you heard the story about turtles all the way down? If not I’d recommend you Google it.
@ burnt – Mate the cow thing was a joke! As for provable, history is littered with things that were proven, just before they were disproved.
In centuries to come people will laugh at some of the stuff we now take for fact. And that’s a fact ;-)
@ James – That’s a great starting point, but take a look at the questions and all stuff that is belief based and if we can’t be open-minded to ALL of that then we can’t truly claim to be open-minded. Maybe open-minded a lot of the time and more than most, but that’s not what I was talking about.
@ David – I was joking ;-)
@ Tom – That’s exactly what I was trying (not very well) to say. Thanks and I also agree about peoples biggest fear.
@ Vlad – Brilliant! Thanks a lot I will definitely watch that. I love feeling uncomfortable with my beliefs ;-)
@ Joely – ROTFLMAO.
@ The Exist – How do you know? How do you know some people don’t know exactly what they are? In fact of they aren’t extra-terrestrial some people MUST know what they are. How many people need to know for them to be IFO’s? I sometimes don’t recognize a type of cae but I don’t call it an unidentified driving object.
@ Lori – I don’t doubt myself very often and I’m not sure that anybody should need to doubt themselves because of what I am proposing. It’s possible to be relaxed and cool with not knowing.
I have lots of doubts and that’s all they are, doubts. They are not my identity.
Tim! What a great post (…maybe ;-)
I just finished rereading the Historical Illuminatus Chronicles and while reading this post, I was thinking of the main thing I came away from those books with, namely, the feeling that, “Nothing is real, everything is imagined.” (I know, my mind twisted the original quote)
I love that, scrolling down further, I saw you mention Robert Anton Wilson! Gotta love those maybecoincidences.
One of my favourite quotes from the books is,
“”Is”, “is.” “is” — the idiocy of the word haunts me. If it were abolished, human thought might begin to make sense. I don’t know what anything “is”; I only know how it seems to me at this moment.”
I found myself wholeheartedly agreeing when he went on to suggest that the word ‘is’ has caused untold conflict in human society.
The power of words is great and if people were to constantly be reminded of how much our beliefs are based on our own personal interpretations/paradigms, I think there would be less conflict in the world. Phrases like “it seems to me” or “in my opinion/belief” are ones I try to use whenever possible instead of speaking in absolutes.
I’m not sure if I came across clearly here but felt like sharing :)
Libertys last blog post..After Recovering From MCS, Irish Woman Puts Out Meditation CD
@ Johnny T and you have great shit too. In fact we all do ;-)
@ Kristin – That’s the ok a lot of the time, being ok with everything. It’s the only life we get to the best of my knowledge (although maybe my Hindu friends think close minded about that), so we may as well be ok with it.
@ Liberty – Well I can’t speak for everybody else but you made sense to me. Then again that maybe because you kicked off by saying “what a great post” and I was too busy stroking my ego to notice anything else. He says Hi! btw, my ego that is.
There is a difference between fact and opinion. “Open mindedness” is not without its articles of faith and faith does not exist without evidence. If you don’t believe that absolute truth exists, or if you don’t belive absolute truth is knowable (an article of faith), then everything is opinion and you can make an idol out of “open mindedness.” If will comfort you to believe, in effect, “nobody really knows nothin’ and anyone who says they do is closed minded.” I think Alcoholics Anonymous has found the best way to advocate a simple and healthy open mindedness when they suggest, “No contempt prior to investigation.” But open mindedness at the expense of conviction is pathetic and has natural appeal to the mass of people who abhor any sort of moral imperative claim on their behavior outside of their own opinions.
I’ve learned to be more close minded. I used to be quite open-minded and found that I was forever being pulled and tugged at by the points of view of others and coming across to the world as a total wishy-washy Charlie Brown.
So, yeah, I’m close minded and damn proud of it. ;)
Alex Fayle | Someday Syndromes last blog post..Fear of an office job: Allison Day interview
@ Jerry – I was struggling to follow what you meant, maybe it was above my head, but I have to be honest and say when you said:
open mindedness at the expense of conviction is pathetic and has natural appeal to the mass of people who abhor any sort of moral imperative claim on their behavior outside of their own opinions.
I kind of switched off. To talk about anybody’s viewpoint as being pathetic simply doesn’t resonate with me, sorry. If I have misunderstood, then please feel free to let me know.
@ Alex – LOL, that’s 2 people in this thread admitting to being close-minded. That blows my theory!
doesn’t bob tell the turtles turtles turtles all the way story in prometheus rising? i’m not going to fact check that myself because i’m supposed to be working on a procrastination post…
if you liked promethus rising you should check out the maybe logic dvd…lot’s of great moments in that one!
chass last blog post..monday morning motivator!:18, the energetics of mood
@ Chas – I don’t know to be honest. I read it in two parts and I have had heard that story so many times anyway. Stephen Hawking told it in A Brief History of Time and I also heard John Grinder tell it in a workshop. Ok, so twice before maybe RAW isn’t that many, but it’s my blog and I can exaggerate if I want to.
Thanks for the vid heads up. I have an Amazon $50 voucher en route so I’ll get that.
Tim, I made a poor word choice when I said “pathetic.” I didn’t mean to offend – I’m very sorry. I meant that in a more tragic sense. It is sad to be closed off to deeper, more thorough examination of what we stand on, and we’re all guilty of that, as you noted. But also sad and tragic to regard “open mindedness” as the end, as the ultimate value. Aren’t we open in order to arrive at something substantial? But it seems more and more people reject the idea that there is anything above human opinion, something that transcends reason (not disregards), that can be known by all people. Good essay – you’ve stirred up productive conversations.
@ Jerry – I wasn’t in anyway offended I was more confused. I rarely if ever get offended.
Strangely enough I don’t see being open-minded as not THAT big of a deal in terms of considering values.
That’s why I wrote this:
http://www.adaringadventure.com/blog/wordpress/life-coaching/is-this-enlightenment/
Thanks for coming back to clear things up!
I am open to the idea that you are wrong. That’s not a problem. LOL!
I agree, we can never be totally open minded. It kind of goes with your post over at Corey’s blog on values. When some one’s values are very different it is easy to feel closed minded about what you believe and think they are wrong. I also like the idea that if you are being intolerant of my intolerance, than aren’t you in fact being intolerant yourself? Just a thought. I have them occasionally.
Beer helps my open mindedness. A desire to understand people helps when beer is unavailable. Although I tend to be more of a referee in life, I would enjoy a more open mind from time to time.
I will never change my opinion of Government, or Government management of my money, or my reputation as an American. They suck at it. You can’t even argue me out of that point. Put down the Guinness, I can’t be swayed, ok, maybe just one sip….
tim
it was william james told that story first…as it was his patient said it! all the cool people go on to tell it at one time or another!
and i’ve rethought this thing a bit…had an open minded moment…
i’m thinking a mind is like a room…open or closed is based on the door…no room can hold everything at the same time except the great room, which if you have a name and a body you ain’t…
the difference between open and closed is huge! open can be in degrees…closed is just 0°. so when speaking of open mindedness, it’s all a matter of degree. many relatively open-minded people cannot entertain the thought of god. many relatively open-minded people cannot entertain the thought of no god.
as david mentioned…there is such power in the maybe…it guarantees that your mind is open to some degree or other…probably to the degree that you entertain the maybe!
interesting note for fans of bob wilson…i ran a find to find that comment by david…at which point there were 23 on this page! and now i’ve gone and spoilt it!
oops! back to that procrastination piece!
chass last blog post..monday morning motivator!:18, the energetics of mood
@ Laurie – I’m open to that idea too.
@ Mike – LOL, beer and especially Guinnes
@ Chas – Ah, William James, that definitely make sense. Brilliant reply btw, but don’t call RAW Bob Wilson. Bob Wilson was a goalie for Arsenal in the 1970′s that went on to become a well known soccer pundit. I was all confused for a moment. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Wilson_(footballer)
I am an open minded person and like to give people the benefit of the doubt.
Good thread and post Tim. We are all just so darn different and special in our own little ways. I guess it is what makes the world go round and round.
Jim | Revive Your Lifes last blog post..Struggling with Insomnia
As always, funny, clever, though-provoking post – just what I need at almost 1am! Thanks. =)
in my opinion…
open-minded can accept the ideas and views of others, but don’t disregard his own beliefs.
but i think it depends on a particular topic, idea or situation if you want to open or close your mind.
This is quite thought provoking. I have always thought of myself as being very open minded – but that made me think twice…