I think having an open mind is truly trying to understand how another person thinks or feels about something.
It doesn't have to mean that a person in the end understands how the other person feels, but at least he/she has to try.
I noticed on myself that i almost refuse to try to understand how racists, homophobes and people who discriminate feel or think. That means i am close-minded to some parts of society.
Is it possible to truly have an open mind ?
2006-07-10 18:45:46 · 27 answers · asked by Thinx 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I believe it's impossible for a human to live every experience on earth, so leave it be. And being open minded doesn't mean the same as being empathic, because what you wrote here is more of a definition to that. To have an open mind is to embrace unusual things, as they came, when they come, not to look for them in order to understand.
Sper ca-i inteles ce-m vrut sa zic :)
2006-07-10 18:52:24 · answer #1 · answered by adriana 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
You are open minded. Racists, homophobes, people who discriminate are close-minded. They refuse to except people or understand people who are different then themselves, for whatever reason. Being open-minded means you can choose not to be like them. They are missing out on a lot of wonderful things, and you choose not to do that, which is very open-minded. All you need to understand about them, is that possibly something happened along the way to make them feel that way. No one can know what is in the heart of man....
2006-07-11 02:09:24 · answer #2 · answered by amom 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You open your mind every time you read a book watch a movie listen to music but you can close it just as easy just like a door if it was to stay open all the time it would get filled with so much trash of the world and what goes in comes out our mouths. our minds are very complex people spend there whole life's trying to understand the mind which is our soul it is not are brain which many people confuse the two.
2006-07-11 01:53:31 · answer #3 · answered by jamnjims 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is.
1) Truth must be more important that your image. That means that if you get upset when someone doesn't agree with you or points out problems with your ideas, you haven't made it, yet.
2) You must love everyone and everything. That doesn't mean agree, or give them what they want. Sometimes, if you love someone, the best thing you can do is say, "NO" to some of the things they want.
3) You must want the truth more than anything else in your life.
4) You must understand that understanding them makes it easier for you to determine the truth, and if being something is truly the wisest choice, in any final analysis it will survive being challenged and argued about.
I'd rather be right about something than appear right about something, and that means that if an idea I have is wrong, I want to know about it so I can change it.
2006-07-11 01:53:07 · answer #4 · answered by mckenziecalhoun 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Excellent question and I want to congratulate you for being so thoughtful and trying so hard to be open.
It seems to me that you are open-minded and your refusal to understand racists, homophobes, and others who discriminate is not so much a lack of open-mindedness, but a refusal to accept these ways of thinking which are so harmful to other people and our society as a whole.
However, your introspection and your desire to be the most understanding, empathetic person you can be is truly to be admired.
Bravo!
2006-07-11 07:49:31 · answer #5 · answered by happy inside 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is important to have an open mind is most situations. However, there are often times where one can be loving, but open mindedness is dangerous. For example, I'm not going to be open-minded to someone who tells me that God did not create the world. It tells me in Genesis 1 that God is our creator. There really is no need for debate on this issue. Howere, there are other areas of the bible that can be confusing. In discussions with other believers, who I know love the Lord and are earnestly seeking to understand the bible, I would have a more open mind on issues that I didn't quite understand. An open mind is important with a clear knowledge of fact and fiction and right and wrong.
2006-07-11 01:50:55 · answer #6 · answered by sarah s 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends on how you were brought up, and how firmly you believed the voices of those who taught you what was right and wrong.
It's not that difficult to sympathise with someone elses point of view or to try and see things from someone elses viewpoint, but that doesn't mean you have to agree with them as to whether their viewpoint is right or wrong. Believe what you want to believe...what you feel is right.
It is possible to be too open-minded too. It can be a good thing at times to be a little 'close-minded' as you put it. We don't always have to understand why others do the things they do. We can choose to accept or not accept it however.
2006-07-11 01:52:05 · answer #7 · answered by L1ngg 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Being open minded doesn't mean you have to change your belief. You hear the person out and research what they said. This way you understand where they are coming from. They may have a good point.
2006-07-11 01:50:23 · answer #8 · answered by GodsHolyFire 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Here's what to do that may help: Slow down, think about the situation, realize that everyone is human. Put yourself in the situation or imagine someone close to you being in the situation. I'm not condoning them thinking like that, but we're all human and we all share different views, some people just need something to hate.
2006-07-11 01:52:41 · answer #9 · answered by Everything 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is it possible to truly have an open mind ?-------------I think it depend on the situation. Sometimes you might have such a small mind it the size of a pea but other times you mind will be so open you wont know what hit you
2006-07-11 01:48:31 · answer #10 · answered by bluejay_all_the_way 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋