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sarabee1995 · 26-30, F
Well the term "open minded" means very different things to different people. But in the sense that you are open to having your ideas challenged and discussed in a respectful manner, I see no disadvantages. Only by being open minded can we learn and expand our own understanding.
SW-User
@sarabee1995 What about being so open minded that you are more tolerant towards things the less open minded would be? Disadvantages there?
sarabee1995 · 26-30, F
@SW-User That's what I meant by open minded meaning different things to different people. I don't view being "open minded" (open to the ideas in your mind being challenged and discussed) as the same thing as being tolerant to or of things that you consider to be immoral.
For example, let's say I were a "marriage is between one adult man and one adult woman" type person (I'm not). If I were open minded, then I would have no problem discussing that issue with someone including the origins of my premises and the thought process behind the forming of my opinion and then discussing openly other opinions and sources. The result of that discussion may or [b]may not[/b] be a changing of my opinion. That's being open minded: having the conversation.
What you are describing is not being "open minded," but rather is leaning more toward that school of thought that having any personal standard or moral compass is wrong and closed minded and I strongly disagree with that.
For example, let's say I were a "marriage is between one adult man and one adult woman" type person (I'm not). If I were open minded, then I would have no problem discussing that issue with someone including the origins of my premises and the thought process behind the forming of my opinion and then discussing openly other opinions and sources. The result of that discussion may or [b]may not[/b] be a changing of my opinion. That's being open minded: having the conversation.
What you are describing is not being "open minded," but rather is leaning more toward that school of thought that having any personal standard or moral compass is wrong and closed minded and I strongly disagree with that.
SW-User
@sarabee1995 Isn't a moral compass subject to the grey area if you're open minded?
E.g and this is the clichiest of examples.. stealing is wrong. But you'd be more tolerant of someone who steals because he has to feed his children.
This is how wiki defines it, and to me it covers the moral area. Values are moralistic.
[quote]Open-mindedness is receptiveness to new ideas. Open-mindedness relates to the way in which people approach the views and knowledge of others, and in the words of Dean Tjosvold "incorporate the beliefs that others should be free to express their views and that the value of others’ knowledge should be recognized."[/quote]
E.g and this is the clichiest of examples.. stealing is wrong. But you'd be more tolerant of someone who steals because he has to feed his children.
This is how wiki defines it, and to me it covers the moral area. Values are moralistic.
[quote]Open-mindedness is receptiveness to new ideas. Open-mindedness relates to the way in which people approach the views and knowledge of others, and in the words of Dean Tjosvold "incorporate the beliefs that others should be free to express their views and that the value of others’ knowledge should be recognized."[/quote]
sarabee1995 · 26-30, F
@SW-User I think your Wiki quote is perfectly in line what I described in my example. Receptiveness to new ideas means listening respectfully to those ideas and considering them; it does not mean blindly accepting them as equivalent in your life to your own ideas. I firmly believe that all should be:
[quote]"free to express their views and that the value of others’ knowledge should be recognized."[/quote]
So yes, this is being open minded.
But then, once those views are expressed and considered, then YOU need to make a decision for YOUR life based on YOUR moral compass. Making that decision does not in any way reduce your open mindedness. But in the opinion of people with no moral compass it does. That's why I said that "open minded" means different things to different people.
Extreme example: Let's take a 100% straight guy. He has zero attraction to other guys at all. Let's say he open mindedly discusses sexuality options and the pros/cons of each and at the end of that conversation he concludes that he personally has no interest in trying anything but women. Does that mean he is not open minded? No, not at all. But to some, it does. I disagree with those people.
Open minded is to consider. It is not to abrogate the decision making to someone else.
[quote]"free to express their views and that the value of others’ knowledge should be recognized."[/quote]
So yes, this is being open minded.
But then, once those views are expressed and considered, then YOU need to make a decision for YOUR life based on YOUR moral compass. Making that decision does not in any way reduce your open mindedness. But in the opinion of people with no moral compass it does. That's why I said that "open minded" means different things to different people.
Extreme example: Let's take a 100% straight guy. He has zero attraction to other guys at all. Let's say he open mindedly discusses sexuality options and the pros/cons of each and at the end of that conversation he concludes that he personally has no interest in trying anything but women. Does that mean he is not open minded? No, not at all. But to some, it does. I disagree with those people.
Open minded is to consider. It is not to abrogate the decision making to someone else.
SW-User
@sarabee1995 Ah. That makes more sense and I totally agree with you.