Keeping an open mind

[dotster]

I would like to start off by saying that I don't know if this is the right place for this topic as it really pertains to everything discussed on these forums, but it seemed like the most appropriate, so here it is. I apologize in advance for the lengthiness 

I don't really actively participate on these forums much anymore, but I do log on pretty regularly because there are always many interesting thoughts and theories being shared that I enjoy reading. One thing that I notice pretty regularly is a lack of open-mindedness (which really surprises me due to the nature of the topics discussed here), so I thought I would share my thoughts on the matter in hopes that maybe it would ease some of the confrontations that occur here.

One thing that really needs to be understood is that we do not know all that there is to know about our reality. There are still numerous things that we do not understand, things that I'm sure we cannot even fathom right now. Almost everyone these days has a cellphone (something that was a thing of sci-fi/fantasy movies until here recently), and we can travel from London to New York in a matter of hours as opposed to weeks. The majority of the world thought that human flight was impossible and thought that anyone that thought it was possible was mentally incompetent, yet look at society today. Something that was once considered insane and impossible is now being used on a day to day basis by hundreds of thousands of people all over the world. So my point here is that some things that we think are solid fact today could be disproved in the future.

One of my favorite concepts about the movie Avatar is how the humans cannot see like the natives of the planet do. The truth of the matter is that this happens a lot closer to home than most of us realize (even on a basic level). Have you ever glanced at a picture, or maybe been channel surfing on the T.V. and you stopped on something you couldn't quite put together? This happens most of the time when you see something for the first time and your brain doesn't quite know how to interpret it, or when you glance at something and your mind didn't have quite enough time to put together what it was, so you do a double-take. I feel like I can be safe assuming that this has happened to just about everyone that is reading this. It is said that when the Native Americans first saw the European ships from a distance that they couldn't comprehend what they were, assuming that they were big white birds or some sort of animal they had never seen before, but as the ships got closer into view they understood that they were just like big canoes like the ones they used, only they harnessed the power of the wind. In this way, seeing and understanding are one in the same. There are a lot of examples that I could give, but one of my favorites is the stereogram. Some of you will know how to see them and some of you won't, but looking at stereograms really are like a friendly reminder that sometimes something is right in front of you, only you cannot see it because you do not know how. You do not recognize it for what it is and therefore do not realize that there is a bigger picture than the one you are staring at, that there is more depth to it than you can see by just looking at it with a normal perspective.



There are many bizarre theories and concepts out there, but who are you to say that they are right or wrong? Where did you learn the concept of right and wrong? You did not learn it the same way as I did, or even as your brother or sister or aunt or uncle, or even your parents. They might influence your concept of right and wrong but you should understand that you in no way think exactly like any one of them do. Having an open mind is NOT accepting that everything is true and possible, having an open mind is accepting that everything COULD be true, and COULD be possible, and this is where I believe most of the conflict about being open-minded arises.

Remember that we are all sharing this experience of living on Earth together, but at the same time it is a personal experience. We all live a different life, no matter how small or big the differences are, everyone has an entirely different experience. Two people can experience the same event and walk away with two entirely different mindsets, which is an awesome thing because in this fashion creativity will never die.

So in conclusion I will just say this: Look at life like a stereogram, remember that there is more out there than what you see with your "day-to-day" eyes yet to be discovered, and remember that even though we are all made of the same basic stuff, we all work in entirely unique and amazing ways. Please keep that in mind the next time you judge someone for expressing their seemingly strange beliefs/theories and the world could be a much nicer place. An open mind is a beautiful thing, and if you can learn to keep an open mind, I guarantee you it will be the only super-power that you will ever need

[NoY]

That was a nice post thanks for sharing 


:NoY:

[AstralBlogger]

Very nice post hope to read more from you soon!

[personalreality]

i was cool until you referenced avatar, i hate that movie.  lol.

no really, good post and welcome.

[manwesulimo2004]

Hooray! Thank you for posting this.

[Summerlander]

An open mind is a beautiful thing

Hmmm...

I also remember someone saying once:

"be open-minded but not so much that your brains fall out..."

Or something along those lines.

[dotster]

"be open-minded but not so much that your brains fall out..."

Haha sometimes it can be fun to let your brain fall out! Maybe even lose it for a while

I do agree though. I'm not saying believe you can fly and then go jump off a cliff, but when it comes to other peoples beliefs I don't see any harm in the whole live and let live scenario.

Now conversations like the whole "charging chakras" I really like because they allow you to question your own beliefs without feeling the sense that someone else is trying to push their's on you, and I see nothing but benefit from that.

I guess the bottom line that I'm trying to make is let's try to observe and report, not observe and retort.

dotster

[Lexy]

I don't' like avatar either  but other than that, you should post more. 

[luthienlv]

Wonderful point of view - thank you! Nice to meet you 

[Summerlander]

I guess the bottom line that I'm trying to make is let's try to observe and report, not observe and retort.

dotster

Yes, let's retort. Let's make it exciting like a soap opera!

[Ident]

I know a woman who sees small "lights" floating about herself and she says they tingle when they land on her lips. It's an odd world and each of us experiences but a fraction of it.

[Xanth]

We each experience only a fraction of it... AND we each experience it in a completely different way.