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Main -> Social Awareness -> Emotion and Psychology  | NewPosts

Popularity and open mindedness

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1347 Posts / 39M
     :   23yrs   :  
etherealmeekle

Popularity and open mindedness [+ favourites]

Why is it that people claim to be open minded and tolerant and yet they still subscribe to all the racism and sexist that comes their way in the form of popular media? People should figure out what they stand for and then do it, but it seems a trend among "open minded" people to just go with whatever is popular.


"Speak out, even if what you have to say is unpopular"

359 Posts / 40M
     :   20yrs   :  
eliasan

not entirelly true. I am very open minded but i would hardlly "follow the crowd" to say. Most of todays open minded people yes probally do that but not all. So please don't make asumptions.

quote:
People should figure out what they stand for and then do it, but it seems a trend among "open minded" people to just go with whatever is popular.


"Fear nothing for fear is the mind killer."

1347 Posts / 39M
     :   23yrs   :  
etherealmeekle

It was not an assumption. Most "open minded" people that I have met simply follow the expected pattern of thinking. I never said they all do but it would seem to be the trend.


"Speak out, even if what you have to say is unpopular"

1334 Posts / 41M
     :   22yrs   :  
summit

quote:
it seems a trend among "open minded" people to just go with whatever is popular....Most "open minded" people that I have met simply follow the expected pattern of thinking. I never said they all do but it would seem to be the trend.


Well they aren't open minded then are they! An open mind has and shows receptiveness to new and different ideas or the opinions of others. Real open-minded people don't go with the norm pattern of thinking; that would be a contradiction.


"The summit is just a halfway point"

1347 Posts / 39M
     :   23yrs   :  
etherealmeekle

People are lead to believe that they are open minded when in fact they are not. It would seem that open mindedness has become an excuse to stop thinking altogether. Open mindedness encourages the flow of ideas but at the cost of creativity. People just seem to accept other ideas rather than think about them first. It's almost a bad thing to question ideas because it would look like judgement.

Take just about any controversial subject and watch the open minded people take the popular stance and mock those who stand against it.


"Speak out, even if what you have to say is unpopular"

SITE ADMIN
2820 Posts / 91M
     :   28yrs   :  
Decius

You are entirely correct.

And elisian's response clearly explains one of the largest fallacies of most "open minded people": They are open minded until their own security becomes threatened by new information.

True open minded-ness requires progressive thinking with the confidence to know that one will evolve to accept all new thoughts and technologies even though current thoughts or technologies might become outdated.


"Hating everyone protects me from elitism."

1347 Posts / 39M
     :   23yrs   :  
etherealmeekle

quote:
True open minded-ness requires progressive thinking with the confidence to know that one will evolve to accept all new thoughts and technologies even though current thoughts or technologies might become outdated.


But open mindedness is not intelligent unless it has limits. To accept all ideas is not only contradictory in some case but also dangerous if the ideas are of an extreme nature. If ideas are not challenged before accepted then open minded people simply do not think.


"Speak out, even if what you have to say is unpopular"

SITE ADMIN
2820 Posts / 91M
     :   28yrs   :  
Decius

I think you are mixing two things.

There is nothing wrong with complete absolute open mindedness.

However, I do not view open mindedness as acceptance... I see it moreso as the opposite of closed-mindedness. And closed mindedness is when someone is unwilling to accept the possibility of something being true.

Open mindedness permits the possibility of anything to be true. But the statistical probability of it being true is something different, and accuracy in that regard depicts intelligence.

So to be intelligent requires open mindedness... but not all open minded people are intelligent.


"Hating everyone protects me from elitism."

1347 Posts / 39M
     :   23yrs   :  
etherealmeekle

quote:
Open mindedness permits the possibility of anything to be true. But the statistical probability of it being true is something different, and accuracy in that regard depicts intelligence.



But if by looking at statistical probability you decide that something cannot be true then you become closed minded. This statement is the catch that allows open minded people to close their minds and still be considered open minded. But then you simply decieve yourself.

quote:
So to be intelligent requires open mindedness


To be intelligent should require one to challenge new ideas and reject those things that do not make the grade.


"Speak out, even if what you have to say is unpopular"

1675 Posts / 37M
     :   20yrs   :  
awakendwraith

one time a christian told me that hey would rather die thinking they were right, all the while being wrong, than admit they are wrong. i feel this closely relates. people get it in there mind that they are right with out thinking any thing through. and because most people are unfurtunately lakcing the ability to think things through, they except that said person has a solid ground to stand on with out asking anyquestions. then the person gets confident that they are right and trys to back their statement up with evidence. because they are ultimatly unintelligent, they simply copy what they have heard in the past from real, concise well thought out arguments, and put that in their argument. and unfurtuanatly again, society is just as stupid as they are. so they eat it up. here is an example:

a man says that being prejudice is bad. he then looks at some downtown "hoodlums" and gets tense. when asked if that was prejudice he says no. his reasoning is "they are dangerous". idiots say "yes they are". when actually they know nothing about those kids. then its just a chain reaction from there.


"Wht cry for those that often cry? Instead, help them smile, and smile for those that smile."

1347 Posts / 39M
     :   23yrs   :  
etherealmeekle

quote:
a man says that being prejudice is bad. he then looks at some downtown "hoodlums" and gets tense. when asked if that was prejudice he says no. his reasoning is "they are dangerous". idiots say "yes they are". when actually they know nothing about those kids. then its just a chain reaction from there.


This example proves little to nothing. That man may have been (or known someone) that was wronged by a group of "hoodlums" and therefore his opinion is not prejudice because it is based on reason and experience.


"Speak out, even if what you have to say is unpopular"

1675 Posts / 37M
     :   20yrs   :  
awakendwraith

a subjective veiw is a prejudice view. my point was that prejudice is not always bad, and that is why it is so popular, because it is an easy way for people to deal with problems.


"Wht cry for those that often cry? Instead, help them smile, and smile for those that smile."

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2820 Posts / 91M
     :   28yrs   :  
Decius

By definition if you respect the law of statistical probability you never "decide" anything. You assume the most likely truth based on the information you have thus far.

Being open minded means that you don't shut yourself off from acquiring new information, no matter how it may affect you.

My previous message was quite clear about rejecting ideas that don't make the grade... yet you re-stated it as if I didn't. I feel you have a tendency to miss-read what is written because you're waiting to speak. It would be in your best interests to respect the person you are speaking to enough to consume the entirety of their message.


"Hating everyone protects me from elitism."

1347 Posts / 39M
     :   23yrs   :  
etherealmeekle

quote:
My previous message was quite clear about rejecting ideas that don't make the grade...


No it contained the loophole that allows open minded people to be closed minded as they see fit. You didn't say anything about rejecting ideas you simply said that you can determine which or more possible. Also by using statistical probability you shut off your mind to ideas of the super natural.


"Speak out, even if what you have to say is unpopular"

SITE ADMIN
2820 Posts / 91M
     :   28yrs   :  
Decius

what do you think statistical probability means? The acceptance of improbable outcomes?

quote:
Also by using statistical probability you shut off your mind to ideas of the super natural.

Well look at that. Now you're saying we should not be analytical about "certain" things. And being that you are a devout Christian it would appear you are defending a point now because it threatens your security.

godamn! we're full of contradictions today!


"Hating everyone protects me from elitism."

Popularity and open mindedness
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