Sometimes it Seems the MOST "Open Minded" People are Actually the LEAST Tolerant...
It's confusing but... it's almost like some people who take great pride in their "open-mindedness" actually turn out to be the LEAST tolerant of different views (besides their own open minded view!). Ironic, no? Have you ever noticed that?
I find it to be very polarizing to what topic it is and how familiar that person is with their own personal life experiences and knowledge as it precipitates to said topic. Is it pride in open-mindedness or their pride in the knowledge they have?
I don’t find myself to be a very open-minded person on a plethora of topics which leads me being very intolerant towards them. I could be seen as having an open mind by someone who shares similar viewpoints but we disagree on the finer points. I could also be very passionate about that topic that I am seen as being prideful.
If you cross with someone’s belief system that they take great pride in you tend to come at an impasse. This belief system could range anywhere from: religion, politics, ethics, morals, and superstition to name a few.
Me personally I can come off as very abrasive towards the unknown when all the knowledge I can apply to it is negative connotation. That can come off as very insolent and aggressive as I try and pull at the roots of what is causing that conflict. I can also switch sides abruptly without hesitation if the foundation of said knowledge reforms into a stronger facet.
Ultimately I would hope most would want their understanding to be a diamond but belief systems do get in the way of that. In addition, separate parties could easily have a disdain towards viewing themselves as the party being intolerant. As a result, I think that leads many of us into believing it must be the other party and not ourselves. Which speaks volumes to the shape the world is in nowadays and will remain in.
I’m just a fool running a fool’s errands till I meet the sword of death.
To me, it often seems like people have a public (ego-based) persona they feel compelled to protect and keep as a mask over their inner truths. And so "I am an open-minded person" becomes more of a piece of self-identity than a true reflection of who they truly are.
I suppose open-minded is a somewhat subjective concept... who, and what do we take it to be, really? I'm fairly open-minded in terms of feeling that others are quite free to their points of view... UNTIL their point of view starts to impinge on MY right to have my point of view. Which is something I seem to encounter particularly in religious contexts where it seems to be "not enough" that someone has their beliefs and the freedom to exercise them... but until I am converted and abandon my own set of beliefs, I am somehow a "bad" agent in need to correcting. I don't find that sort of thing very tolerant.
I tend to get "in trouble" because many perceive me to be a "cage rattler." I expect people to be able to back up whatever they are offering forth with something other than SHOUTING LOUDER and condemning me for being different from them.
I like to think I'm pretty open minded. However, If the majority of your posts on steemit are about religion....You get the mute.
You are more than welcome to believe how you will. I just don't need it clogging up my feed. :)
I'm pretty close to the same... although I am quite open to discussions on the topic of religion as long as it doesn't descent into spewing and proselytizing. I don't mind discussion, but I don't want to be preached at and told that I am "evil" for what I believe... or don't believe.
AMEN :-P LOL
more hijacked words.
in my experience the 'most open' and 'least discriminating' is a garbage can.
or you could say..they're so open minded their brains fell out.
Ah yes, long one of my favorite sayings... especially one I like to use around chronic left wing apologists.
Ironic, but true! I noticed this on line and off line. Sometimes I think (and sometimes I also said tis to that people) people who need to say always and to everyone that they are open minded are the least tolerant that I've never known. Not always, sure, but it happened many time in my personal experience. Sad, but true.
Sad but true, indeed. I never quite understand it, but a lot of times it almost feels like there is ONE approach that is merely for public show, and then a completely different "real" person that lies below. Which makes me a little bit nervous... who should I trust?
In my life, there is a quote of Socrate that I always "use" to value what people say to me: "the only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing". I have so much respect for that people who have some doubts and not just the "true" ;)
I majored in Sociology which studies people and promotes diversity, tolerance of cultural differences, etc. Interesting thing is most people I've worked with are pretty close minded and are only accepting of people who think the same way as them. It's weird. It's always frustrating when that happens.
I was talking to a friend this afternoon, and one of the things we touched on is the way a lot of people carry around their own personal echo chambers... surrounding themselves only with people who support their point of view, and so forth.
I have some issues with such thinking from living in a very religious part of the US for many years... I had no objection to people and their belief systems, but often THEY seemed unwilling to live in a world where someone had a different viewpoint from them.
Noticed it enough to conclude that "open minded" means YOU need to be "open minded" to MY view otherwise you are a hater.
Yes, that would be a very elegant and concise way of summarizing it... and the whole concept of open-mindedness is a bit lost on the idea that it's a "one way street." Humans are funny creatures...
Interesting. I have some friends with a very strong opinion, they'll kind of lash it out, probably feeling they have a right to speak their mind and that it's their personality to do so in a confronting manner. But they both have a strong opinion that others shouldn't have an opinion about them! Looking at both of them, I feel they seem to carry some anger towards others controlling and subduing them. Now they want a world where that doesn't happen, making them want to be open-minded and tolerant towards others. But their anger sits in the way of that. Just an impression, which would fit your comment above.
Yes, that does sound very similar... a lot of people want to be "free to speak their mind" but when someone else speaks their mind they feel threatened and become angry... showing (in a way) that they don't actually believe in the freedom to speak your mind.
Yes! It’s like their are completely consumed in their fantasy of who they are, that blinds them and stop them from seeing what they really are
Just seems like a lot of folks get locked into very rigid paradigms... it's always a bit suspect when someone who claims to be very open starts talking about what others "should" and "should not" be doing.
Christians get this a lot. "Hey you chrisitans are so judgemental."
The irony of paasing judgement against a body of 2 billion people, with a generalization seems to fly right past some people.