geeogree
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T69TOuqaqXI

I came across this today and I think we all could use a lesson on open-mindedness.

Please don't comment in here until you've watched the video. It will be easier when we all understand what being open-minded actually means.

The video is not very long.... like 8 minutes or so.

[edit] Oh, and before anyone assumes anything by this post - this was not directed at anyone specifically. I just found it in my internet travels and figured it was worth showing people. (last edited by geeogree on 04-02-09 08:41 PM)

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watched and agreed.
it is sort of how i try and see things, and i know alot of those out there really could learn from this.
i rated it max stars. its a pity theres alot of people who either are to stuborn or to simple to understand the concepts laid out in it.

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yeah, open-mindedness is poorly defined in many people's minds I think.

Although I wasn't a big fan of how the video attacked people with religious or supernatural beliefs I realize that the person making the video was probably coming at it from a more scientific perspective.

I think the one thing people need to realize is that everything in science and religion has changed. There are hundreds (if not thousands) of religions and thousands of scientific theories about the world. Any of them could be true or could be proven false when new information about the world is discovered.

From my point of view I think everyone needs to take a little perspective on many of the issues that are usually hotly debated and realize that there are some things we know for sure (usually a very small amount of information), some things that depend on people, place etc. (a large amount of the information) and some things that we just either can't quantify or just don't know/can't explain. What was "true" about the world even 20 years ago has been proven to be false with new research and understanding. Things that were labelled as science fiction 20 years ago are now things that are commonplace (well, maybe older than 20 years but I'm sure I could come up with some example). Well, maybe cellphones are a good example of that. 20 years ago I don't know if cellphones were even commercially available let alone available to the general public. Now there are probably more cellphones than there are people in the world. I know people with 2 or more cellphones.

Many of the things in the video are things I believe in. I believe in God, I believe in "ghosts", I believe in an afterlife, I believe that God created the Earth. I don't presume to understand any of these things enough to be 100% certain that I know the full details of how they work. What I imagine God to be like is probably wrong. I realize that. How God created the Earth and all the life on it is only barely understood yet many religious people refuse to accept any part of evolution as being possible at all. I've spent some time researching evolution and scientists admit there are things they don't understand about it yet. There are things about God I don't understand but that doesn't mean my belief in God is wrong because I don't fully understand Him.

I think we spend too much time divided on issues that really shouldn't be divisive. We spend so much time trying to be right, or better, or smarter than other people instead of working together to make everyone better. People "abuse the system" in any way they can in order to make a quick buck, or not have to work, or whatever reason they have. In the end that is going to be humanities downfall I think. We are so divided against ourselves that we would rather cling to our ideas about the world and die fighting for them than admit we -might- be wrong and learn from each other. I don't understand why that is so difficult to do. I admit I'm wrong all the time (although I'm married and that's a different story ).

Wow, that was a long rant. I really need to start a blog or something.

Oh, and someone needs to ask me another question in my Ask Geeogree Anything thread!

Okay, I'm done.

[edit] I really hope I didn't contradict myself anywhere in there. If I did I'll be sure to clarify what I mean.... or accept that I'm wrong and try to re-evaluate my view on the world [/edit]

---

(last edited by geeogree on 04-03-09 12:59 AM)

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Good video... 9 minutes 40 seconds I believe was the total.

But yes, I agree with you. I have my own beliefs but I accept that they are not shared by others that I talk to, or even a majority of people. I don't think that they are wrong and I am right, because in many cases there is no way of knowing. What gets to me is when people are so firmly fixed in their ways that they refuse to even admit the possibility of another way. Like the ghost thing for example, I am fine if you don't believe in ghosts but you cannot prove that they do not exist just as I cannot prove to others that they do. However, if I have a conversation with a person that does not believe in them but is willing to admit that they could possibly exist, then I think that it would be a much better conversation than if I had to talk to someone that would argue with me by trying to convince me that they cannot be real.

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I completely agree.

I wish people were just more willing to simply say "I believe X is true, but you think Y is true, and I guess Y could be true but I believe X and I don't know enough about Y to have a firm opinion yet so I'll stick with X until I learn more about Y"

Hopefully that made sense.

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Thank you very much for posting the video, geeorgree.
This guy is really interesting, and now I finally understand open-mindedness. XD
In a way...

But in terms of me, I consider myself pretty open minded. I believe that we as humans know absolutely nothing. For there is no almighty cosmic power of central computer that states whether something is true or false. Thus, there is always an unknown factor that could effect anything and drastically change the result.
Thus, I accept any and all religious beliefs and believe that any number of them can be true. Any opinion/belief could be true. But I don't know, so I accept it all until Judgment Day or something comes and then we'll know the truth.

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But what about stuff other than religion? I think that it is good for people to be open-minded about other stuff as well.

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oh, this is where you found it eh Neyro?

anyway, I sorta feel the same about the way he talks about religion as you, geo. he seems to think that all people without beliefs in anything supernatural are open-minded while everyone else isn't.

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really? i didnt think he was like that at all.
its probally more that alot of religious people are more closed minded so thats why he used them as an example.
but i dont think he was saying everyone else isnt closed minded.
though im open to that possibility, we cant really tell, can we

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I also think he just went with spiritual beliefs because it is the easiest example... and also because I think it is the most common.

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It was a good watch.

I lol'd at 7 minutes into it.

"I met Karol for lunch today"

"I DEMAND EVIDENCE WOMAN"

haha.

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Watched the video and it makes so much sense, thats exactly how people are, they say your close-minded and crap just to get you to agree with them, now who's really being close-minded, lol, good topic and good vid, thanks geeogree for bringing it ot my attention....

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I used to be one of these people. I had to put up with antitheists and trolls, and boy oh boy was my life miserable. Finally I realized what a hypocrite I was being and shut up.

The thing is, though, I'm even more convinced of my own beliefs than I was before. By being able to critically analyze myself, I've actually developed stronger arguments and a more open mind. I realize now that the idea of life evolving after having been created is not inconceivable, only that certain aspects of the theory of Evolution simply aren't compatible with the Bible. The only reason I'm a full-on young-earth creationist these days is that the theory of Evolution still hasn't been proven in my opinion, but that's just me and I'm not going to claim you'll burn in hell for it. Is it really that major an issue? No, and I can't believe that I ever thought so.

People have trouble believing that I can be open-minded and rational and at the same time a Christian Creationist Conservative (the three C's, I call them), which is interesting because my beliefs come from a genuine education and personal experience. I study topics I'm interested in and I know when to shut my mouth or admit that I've been proven wrong, which is certainly more than many people can ask for.

Other times I've argued with people on topics for which there is no evidence in either direction, and it genuinely interests me how often we end up repeating ourselves. People use single arguments against a logically evolved retort that's different every time, which doesn't sound very open-minded to me.

I suppose what I'm trying to say with my rant is that I think an open mind comes from personal study and experience. If you lose an argument with someone, don't just call them closed-minded, think rationally and study it yourself. If you're religious, pray for wisdom. God won't give you deceptive instructions.

However, one argument that always gets my goat when it's used is "there can be multiple truths." Really? So God can both exist and be scientifically impossible? That's not an open-minded argument, that's trying to squirm out of it so you don't have to admit you've been beaten. Give me a break.

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I actually used this video and topic as an essay last week. So thanks geeorgee for brinnging this to my attention. I used it for a compare and contrast essay. I didn't like copy his words or take away from what he said, I just used the topic of it all. I sited my work where I did use the whole lampshade and ghost thing. But my professor liked it. It made a good essay.

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Fantastic video. I think it is ironic that in an open mindedness video he used one side of the story as the perpetrator more than the other. Even though I am not an overly religious or spiritual person (not to say it isn't an extremely important part of my life) I could "read between the lines." I think he could have had a more creditable argument if he would have alternated between science and religion/spirituality/unexplained being the close minded ones. Funny enough he also discredits reading between the lines....

Good video though! I really enjoyed it.

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Awesome video, the animation made me laugh a couple times as well.

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I saw the video. I probably should have posted this earlier. Open mindedness is really good and mature, but it is really tricky and you gotta be careful with it. Now a days, people act like in order to be open minded you gotta share someone else's view point.

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I really liked the video. He did a pretty good job explaining open mindedness! I'm not good at explaining things, I confuse myself and get carried away.
It is definitely good for everyone to be open minded, so we may have a chance for everyone to get along putting aside differences. Also though, you must separate being too gullible or naive(not to be confused with open-mindedness), from being too demanding (stubborn about beliefs and so on), controlling (acting as if they are right and everyone else is wrong), and narrow minded (or close-minded) for everyone to meet somewhere in the middle.

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It is a great video, and the other videos he makes(often with the help of TheraminTrees) are also generally worth watching.

One thing about open mindedness is that everyone believes themselves to be open minded(even the most blatantly close minded people out there). I know I used to be the most close minded and set in my ways person ever. And even then I thought I was being open minded and logical. It's hard to make calls like this about yourself.

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Mind = BLOWN LOL

But seriously, I am aware of when other people are close-minded and I notice when I too am like that. However, like it said at the end of the video, I don't open myself to everything as there is plenty of stuff that one should be skeptical about. That video made me feel good. Thanks for posting it.

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