Quotes about Open-mindedness

The two alternatives are always exclusionary, usually in an angry way: things are either totally right or totally wrong, with me or against me, male or female, Democrat or Republican, Christian or pagan, on and on and on. The binary mind provides quick security and false comfort, but never wisdom. It thinks it is smart because it counters your idea with an opposing idea. There is usually not much room for a "reconciling third." I see this in myself almost every day.

In times of great change [which is always], learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped for a world that no longer exists." Faith

Eric Hoffer, the street philosopher, put it this way: "In times of great change [which is always], learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped for a world that no longer exists.

So long as we all cling to our prejudices and identify with our preconceived views and feelings, genuine human community is impossible. You have to get to the point where you can break free from your feelings. Otherwise in the end you won't have any feelings; they'll have you.

The second insight about steps and stages is that from your own level of development, you can only stretch yourself to comprehend people just a bit beyond yourself.

We were largely taught what to believe instead of how to believe.

Don't confuse being 'soft' with seeing the other guy's point of view.

No idea is so outlandish that it should not be considered with a searching but at the same time a steady eye.

We must not only learn to tolerate our differences. We must welcome them as the richness and diversity which can lead to true intelligence.

You keep taking note of whatever confirms your ideas — better to write down what refutes and weakens them!

Once people stop believing in the God of the Bible, they don't believe in nothing--they begin to believe in anything.

One would think that people who insist on being monotheistic would be the first in line to walk across the artificial boundaries created by nation states, class systems, cultures and even religions. But often they are the last!