John Stuart Mill Open Mind Analysis

When it comes to discussing open and close-mindedness, many people see being close-minded as a bad thing and being open-minded as a good thing, but when does too much become a bad thing? To be close-minded, you have or show rigid opinions or a rigid outlook. It means that you are stubborn and that you listen to argue, not to understand. You are biased and let your own opinions interfere with your ability to understand other people’s ideas and perspectives. If you are close-minded, then you cannot grow as a person and therefore, the community cannot grow. To be open-minded, you are willing to consider new ideas and be unprejudiced. Open-minded people listen to others in order to understand. You can listen to new ideas and perspectives …show more content…
After learning about the world around him, the prisoner returns to the cave to tell his friends about his discoveries. He became an educated person. He learned more about the world around him and then proceeded to better educate his friends about his discoveries, and therefore bettering the community. (Plato) In John Stuart Mill’s “Of the Liberty of Thought and Discussion”, Mill also touches on the importance of having an open mind. In order for people to effectively better the community, everyone must have an open mind so that everyone can discuss freely. Having a closed-mind keeps people from being able to express their opinions. Mill states that it is wrong to silence ones opinion because it robs “the human race, posterity as well as the existing generation.” (Mill) Mill describes that “human judgment is valuable only in so far as people remain open to criticism. Thus, the only time a person can be sure he is right is if he is constantly open to differing opinions; there must be a standing invitation to try to disprove his beliefs.” (SparkNotes) If someone’s beliefs are silenced, than others are robbed of the opinions. In order for people to grow, they must be aware of the views and opinions …show more content…
To be an educated person, you are aware of the influences that affect your life, and that the knowledge they carry withholds the ability for them to grow as a person, as well as better the community around them. An open-minded person listens to new ideas without prejudice and listens to understand, not to respond or argue. Being open-minded is a good aspect to have when trying to grow as a person, but being too open-minded can be a bad thing. When someone is too open-minded, they listen to new ideas and opinions and instantly accept them. They do not have any skepticism about the logic of opinions. They cannot fully understand the argument or compare it to similar arguments, or arguments with a different point of view. They do not weight other variable or look at the other side of the story. They outright agree with opinions without fully understanding the logic of the opinion. They become too agreeable, and in a sense become gullible. Many people are too open-minded and do not realize it. They are so restricted by the fear of being wrong or they have such low self-esteem that they accept the ideas. Others do not know what they want or what they stand for, so they go with what others are saying. People who are too open-minded do not hold on to certain beliefs, and are changing their opinions as society does. While people who are too close-minded do not want to listen to new ideas, they