Open-mindedness?

Question

Does having an open mind mean agreeing with everything, thus disagreeing on an issue makes you close-minded? Or does it depend on the topic? If so, what makes one topic more important than the other?

(I'm not trying to start argument or debate - just a question).

Answer 1

Open minded should mean that be able to listen and with new information and consideration be able to change their position on a topic.

Closed mined should mean that someone who never changes their mind no matter how much information that proves them wrong.

For example: Dan Rather still believing the manufacture memo is real.

Answer 2

Open mindedness is simply listening to the whole story and forming a valid opinion. It requires critical thinking and understanding the point of view of the advocates. It requires comfort with uncertainty, and the concept that new information may change the landscape. An open mind is never, ever shrill. A mind made up, based on all available evidence is not a closed mind, as long as debate and new information is welcome.

But whenever I see a derisive talking point on yahoo answers that is not question, but a statement to denigrate the other side, that is not a debate of the open-minded, that it is a closed mind shrilly battling for their point of view.

Answer 3

Being open minded does not mean agreeing with everything.

You can disagree with something and still be open minded - though it would require that you actually listen to the argument being presented, and only then make up your mind.

Even once you have made up your mind - in order to remain 'open minded' you should continue to take alternate views and opinions into account. Just because you disagree with something doesn't mean you have to discount it.

For example: I don't believe in the bible, heaven/hell, god/satan, etc. - however, since (like every human being) I don't know how the universe began, or how life began - I don't necessarily discount the *possibility* (however improbable) of the existence of some kind of higher power or intelligence that could have created everything.

Answer 4

Open-mindedness is the ability to look at things objectively and make decisions based on the facts of a situation or issue. I became a Libertarian a few years back because it is the only political party that looks at both liberal and conservative ideas with an open mind.

However, open-mindedness for the sake of appearing agreeable to everything, right or wrong, is ridiculous. Reality is reality no matter how much you'd like to believe in something that is not true.

Answer 5

No. Having an open mind doesn't necessarily mean you have to agree with what that person says. Having an open mind is basically willing to listen and hear that other persons point of view. A closed minded person isn't willing to listen to others who disagree with them. Also, a closed minded person always believes they are right all the time and they aren't willing to debate. Debaters can't be closed minded.

Answer 6

You can not be open minded about everything. Then you hate the people who make judgement calls. Prejudice is from prejudging people without true reason. If you are a female and there are shady Characters down a dark alley. Are you prejudice or just using good judgement by not going down that alley. Just make sure when you make decisions you have all the facts you can. Most people are never truely close-minded. Most people can have thier mind changed with the right info. Make sure there is no prejudice in your judgement and it is not only self serving. Disagreeing on an issue makes you who you are.

Answer 7

What makes certain topics more important depends on the person. If you are discussing cars then it won't be that important to me.
Having an open mind means you don't just listen to one side of an issue. You listen to all sides, do research, and then make your own decisions.

Answer 8

I think people approach political discussion within the frame-work of a world-view they already hold.

Topics are more or less important based on one's world-view.

To me, being open-minded means being informed before making decisions about particular issues. Close-mindedness would be the opposite of this.

Answer 9

Personally, what I think it means is respecting the fact that someone has a different idea, listening, and then making your own judgment based on new and old information.

I'm all for respecting people's ideas, but I think the concept of open-mindedness has been hijacked by people and groups who equate it to embracing the most off-the-wall ideas and depraved actions that come from the individual, then squelch any sort of dissent with words ending in "-phobe" or "-ist."

And of course it doesn't apply to you if you're on the other end of the double standard.

Answer 10

Open-mindedness can be taken to the extreme of agreeing with everything and finding nothing wrong with anything. And no, disagreeing with something doesn't mean you are closed minded. You can listen to another persons side with an open mind and still disagree witht them.