Is it "narrow-minded" to call someone "narrow-minded"?

Question

(This woman just called me "narrow-minded". I told her I have been called "nuts", but that was the first time I have ever been called "narrow-minded'.)

Question #2: How much did your school system influence you to be "open-minded"?

Dear Phoenix and Richard - you guys are funny. - smiles

Answer 1

That depends. Try as some of us might (and some don't try at all) we are all narrow-minded to some degree or another. Sometimes, another person's perspective may help us realize our own narrow-mindedness.

The reason it depends is there's two types of narrow-mindedness. The type that comes from ignorance, which is the type everyone assumes is the meaning, and the type that comes from learning. For instance, I'm pretty narrow-minded, in a respect, when it comes to math. I will not accept that 1 + 1 does not equal 2. At most, I will concede that if you're not talking about integers, instead using significant digits, 1+1 may be slightly off from 2. For instance, 0.9999965 grams of water is, basically 1. Add it to another 0.999995 grams of water, and you've basically got 2 grams, but not quite. That's as much as I'll concede. But someone uneducated in math might have some crazy ideas.

I use math because it is the only absolute truth in the universe. 1+1=2, no ifs, ands, or buts. But what about religion, or even other fields of science? They're considering revising the current understanding of gravity. Oh, we all know it exists, but we're not precisely sure of the nature of it's existance. Many scientists, however, feel that we've got gravity right, and it's foolishness trying to find another way to make it work, when the current equations work just fine. Are they narrow-minded? Or, do they simply know what they're talking about?

So, it depends. Some may call me narrow minded because to me, I feel God exists... just one. It's not that I haven't considered pantheism... I have, and have come to my conclusions. Having been there, there's no point to re-evaluating that decision unless they come up with a new point I haven't heard before. So would it be narrow-minded for someone to call me narrow-minded for believing in only one God? Probably.

Edit: My school and church were narrow-minded, in my personal opinion, and I didn't like it. So I try to be open-minded in all things.

Answer 2

Wayne,
I went to High School in the 1970s and I had a wonderful Agnostic teacher who refused to go to any religious related assemblies and asked to be allowed to offer a study hall for those who chose not to attend them. He was very bright and I learned a great deal from him at that time. I felt like he had an interesting point of view and allowed me to question him and questioned me in the process so that I would begin thinking openly about my beliefs. I attended five different Colleges around our state and had a number of great instructors who did the same type of questioning. I found it rather enlightening even though I later decided to become a Christian. Being open-minded and thinking does not mean that you adopt someones views. It means that you are open enough to listen and think about what others say without judging them for those thoughts. I am thankful to have been exposed to this at that time. I also believe that a person can call me narrow-minded without being so them-self. I am rather narrow-minded at times. Have a great evening and a wonderful week.
Thanks,
Eds


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Answer 3

Good question. If the person really is objectively narrow minded, you either keep your mouth shut or let them know in as nice a way possible; assuming, there is such a way. How do you determine objectively that one is narrow minded? I guess you have to be honest enough to examine your own position as to how much is based on opinion or fact. 2 + 2 = 4. No opinion there.

Answer 4

It is only narrow minded to call someone narrow minded if the person calling someone narrow minded is only doing so because they refuse to even consider the point of view of the person they claim is narrow minded.

My schooling had little to do with my "open mindedness".Other then that I saw why it was necessary to be open minded when seeing so many people being bullied and being harassed just for being different.

Answer 5

I think that if somebody calls you narrow-minded and offers no proof, she is wrong. But is of course her right to do so. If you think it is wrong of her, be happy you live in a country were people can say what they want, even when they make mistakes. It might say more about this lady than about you.

Maybe this helps: the definition of narrow-minded from Collins:

"If you describe someone as narrow-minded, you are criticizing them because they are unwilling to consider new ideas or other people's opinions.
e.g. ...a narrow-minded bigot.
≠ broad-minded"

I believe it is orang-utan. It means man of the forest.

In a reaction against my very narrow-minded school system (paedophile catholic priests whom I have forgiven but not forgotten) I do my very best to believe as little as possible and accept only facts as the base for my attitudes.

Have a nice day.

Answer 6

It is obvious to any enlightened person that our society world wide is in decline and decay. We are told that to survive, we must go borrow money and get into debt. We are told that everything is right as long unless you are a Christian. Christians are the only ones shouted down when they speak thier minds. They try to equate the racists KKK and the people who were in favor with the Jim Crow laws or slavery with Christians. I say again, it is politially incorrect to speak the Truth. Speak the Truth anyway, even if homosexuals and the greedywall street bankers and insurance companies call you backward, narrow minded, or ignorant.Not that all the above are the same, I am saying that it is obvious that our society is in decay and decline. I would not the least bit surprised if one day in the next ten years that the American goverment collapses just like the USSR. We could split into 50 different countries. This borrowing money to pay for illegal wars and borrowing give away to other countries is leading to our demise. This legalized killing ug innocent unborn babies and calling sam sex marriage Ok is leading to our downfall. If you want to call me a bigot...it is your right. I and Christians, and Muslims, Buddists, ect have the right to speak with out being shouted down and having our answers deleted.

Answer 7

The term narrow-minded doesn't mean anything. It's simply an insult some people use when they can't more clearly articulate their disagreement with someone else's values, morals and/or ethics. I can't comment on the school system influencing me to be open-minded. It's another meaningless word that people use to attempt to convince others that their way of thinking and believing is the right way. They also use it to compliment people who agree with their way of viewing the world. Blah, blah, blah.

Answer 8

Dawkins would know how to spell "orangutan".

I don't think it's narrow-minded to point out the truth. It might be hypocritical, log in your own eye kind of thing, but not narrow-minded.

As for schools - I remember saying "indivisible" instead of "under God" in the Pledge, and that was in the '80s. That should give you a pretty good idea about my school system.

Answer 9

I think when it comes to being called "narrow minded" it means that person that called you that doesn't really have a good argument against what you believe. People will say that as an insult, but it isn't necessarily. I'm narrow minded to discriminating based on skin color - should I be open to racism?

Never be ashamed of your moral convictions. If it comes to name calling or people pointing out your typos - you know you've won the argument.

Answer 10

yes on the first question and since I am a teacher I am going to say that it depends on how much as an individual you want to learn.

I am the type of teacher who believes in the analogy that you can't make a horse drink but you can lead him to water and splash it in his face. He'll get a little wet even if he dies of thirst later for his ignorance that it will kill him eventually if he doesn't drink. My hope is that the wetness will whet the desire. Horses aren't camels.

To that effect, kids aren't animals and should be treated with the idea that they act as animals. Too many people don't explain things to kids, they just say, "do it." That goes for parents as well. Kids are people and must have explanations. Just keep the explanations simple and give more details as they understand.