Friday, July 24, 2009

Redefining "Open-Minded"

I think it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking yourself or believe when you are called "open-minded" that it's true....it reaally became obvious recently that I am far far from truly open minded and non-judgemental.

The scientic people like to say- they are open-minded, yet they need scientific proof and evidence in order to be open to the idea that something could be valid.

The people that believe in alternative things like to say they are open minded cos they are not limited by "rational reason" and are open to all that falls outside of this.

But at the end of the day we still carry a lot of judgement...eg...that the scientists are closed minded...and I have other ones that I personally have trouble not believing e.g "normal people are boring"...I only like weird and quirky people etc the as only they will be able to understand me...

Basically being judgemental like this is NOT at all open minded. It just reflects that we have a negative worldview! So anyway I'm consciously trying to rectify this in my mind...and refrain from judgement...ie mine are usually with an anti-convention or socialist bent e.g people born rich are ungrateful&spoilt, investment bankers are typically all wankers etc etc...

What are some of the stereotypes and prejudices you have conditioned yourself to believe?

p.s an aside, I love how all of us have problems but they so truly differ...there is someone I know whose most pressing immediate problem is paying too much tax...what a luxurious kind of problem to have! *lol

p.p.s round 2 of teeth work today-yikes!

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Normal people ARE boring...because please, find me one person who is truly, absolutely normal.

Just because you have prejudices and stereotyped, doesn't necessarily mean you are closed minded. Your mind may be ajar. :)

HappyOrganist said...

yeah, fix your world-view Zhen! ;-P
I don't have any prejudices or judgments. I'm very open-minded and non-judgmental ;-)

HappyOrganist said...

i hate going to the dentist. just got a reminder note in the mail yesterday (to go again next month). I'm so going to reschedule it. I hate going. the exams/cleanings are the worst.

miruspeg said...

Macs
Being open minded doesn't mean we have to accept ideas that make no sense, or adopt beliefs without any evidence or reason.

It should never be an excuse to believe anything in the absence of good thinking.

As Carl Sagan observes, a great openness to ideas needs to be balanced by an equally strong skeptical spirit which you have Macs.

Studying practical philosophy for the last 3 years has knocked out all my prejudices that use to beseech me.....I am "holier than thou now" ...LOL.

:-P
Pegs

HappyOrganist said...

"I personally have trouble not believing e.g 'normal people are boring'..."
You know why that's funny, don't you. 'cause everyone thinks they're weird. so that's interesting you would say that "i only like weird people" when 99% of the population (i believe) would describe themselves as weird.
as far as not being understood.. well - you do have a point there.... ;-p

as for some of my prejudices.. well - people with long fingernails (the kind that get theirs done at a salon and they're fake and long (sometimes pretty) but that's not the point).. I have a belief about all of those people. something about education or intelligence. completely irrational and not fair - but that's one of mine. And rich people - I just figure that they figure they're too good for me (or that they won't like me) - so I steer clear of what I deem that crowd. Probably speaks to my pride, actually..
And that's kind of ironic, seeing as I grew up pretty well-off.
it's all subjective.

and I definitely have some false beliefs about acupuncturists. ;-)
you're proving some of them wrong, and some of them correct (even if they're incorrect, you're supporting some of those ideas)
but that's the way it goes

cherio.!

HappyOrganist said...

Peggy, that's so nice that you mentioned that (don't have to accept everything). My husband and I were talking about being "open-minded" and "tolerant." He said, (and I quote) "I'm intolerant of a lot things. I can't stand murder."

I am SO glad I'm married to him. He is so funny. [had to be there, i guess] but wonderful. what a funny (and intelligent) guy.
;-)