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Originally posted by utherpendragonWhat I am on this forum is, of course, up to others to perceive. As for my approach to debating political issues in real life, well I have already posted on that.
are you a nice guy in real life or really a jack-ass as you appear in this forum?
As for whether I am open minded, or whether whodey is open minded, who's to say? One person's "open-mindedness" is another person's "communism" or "anti-Americanism" etc. etc.
As for whether your silly insult here has any effect on me, either here on the forum, or whether it affects me in 'real life': the answer is no, it doesn't.
In fact it says more about your forum 'persona' than it does about mine that your only contribution to this thread on "political discussions" so far is to blurt out and call another poster a "jackass". Kind of sums you up really.
Originally posted by FMFLMAO😵
What I am on this forum is, of course, up to others to perceive. As for my approach to debating political issues in real life, well I have already posted on that.
As for whether I am open minded, or whether whodey is open minded, who's to say? One person's "open-mindedness" is another person's "communism" or "anti-Americanism" etc. etc.
As for whether yo ...[text shortened]... to blurt out and call another poster a "jackass". Kind of sums you up really.
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Originally posted by whodeyBut what if it's the opposite way around? What if our "core world views" are simply the sum total of our opinions on specific subjects?
Put another way, we mostly have a natural progression towards certain stances on various issues based on our core world views.
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Originally posted by whodeyI don't think open-mindedness and ideological conviction necessarily have to be mutually exclusive. In fact, assuming your specific ideological convictions are grounded in specific knowledge, you will have a wider breadth of information from which you can draw when you evaluate different political persuasions. I think open-mindedness is more a product of personality and maturity.
we often pat ourselves on the back for being open minded but nothing could be further from the truth. We are all on a road to somewhere and this can only change if we purposfully change destinations.
Originally posted by TeinosukeOur core belief system is how we extrapolate data to be able to form opinions. That is why world view or a belief system is so vital to our existence. In essense, it is the rudder of our destiny.
But what if it's the opposite way around? What if our "core world views" are simply the sum total of our opinions on specific subjects?
In short, you tend to become what you envision yourself to be as well as how you envision the world to be.
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Originally posted by wittywonkaIf your core belief system is in the way of a certain "revelation", then it must be dealt with no matter your personality or maturity level may be. Either that, or you must explain away that troublesome revelation in favor of preserving a core belief system.
I think open-mindedness is more a product of personality and maturity.[/b]
Deciding on whether to do away with a core belief or a perceived truth that conflicts with that core belief is the question. By in large I would say that rejecting a perceived single truth is much easier and, therefore, the most likely scenerio.
Here is an interesting study called the Barna Researth study. It's conclusion was that 32% of conversions to Christianity come at the ages between 5-13, but only 6% between the ages of 14-18 and then drops dramtically during adulthood.
So what does this tell us? Many nonbelievers would say that this is simply indoctrination. People are "brainwashed" to believe Christianity. However, they do not consider those not raised in the faith as also being brainwashed. I would say that this probably applies to all other belief systems whether they be politics or or other belief systems. I say we are all indoctrinated to think a certain way, even if that way is questioning everything and refusing to indoctrinate anything. There is simply no way around it.
I look at it this way. Our belief systems are created early and we build upon them. Therefore, the more we age the more we build our lives around our respective belief systems. The longer we have to build upon a particular foundation the more we have to lose if we reject that foundation. Therefore, select your foundation wisely.
Originally posted by whodeyI guess I had in mind a slightly different notion of "open-mindedness." I meant a willingness to entertain new ideas and to consider possible positive attributes of those ideas. I wasn't necessarily assuming that an "open-minded" person had to have a proportional willingness to change his opinion on the spot.
If your core belief system is in the way of a certain "revelation", then it must be dealt with no matter your personality or maturity level may be. Either that, or you must explain away that troublesome revelation in favor of preserving a core belief system.
Deciding on whether to do away with a core belief or a perceived truth that conflicts with that co ...[text shortened]... re we have to lose if we reject that foundation. Therefore, select your foundation wisely.
Perhaps I was thinking more of "tolerance"? Anyway...
Originally posted by whodeyWow. That might be the single best post you have ever written.
If your core belief system is in the way of a certain "revelation", then it must be dealt with no matter your personality or maturity level may be. Either that, or you must explain away that troublesome revelation in favor of preserving a core belief system.
Deciding on whether to do away with a core belief or a perceived truth that conflicts with that co ...[text shortened]... re we have to lose if we reject that foundation. Therefore, select your foundation wisely.
One quibble, though - as well as being thoroughly reletavist, it also seems pretty deterministic: if this universal 'brainwashing' or 'indoctrination' generally occurs in childhood and we build upon that process in forming our adult beliefs, in what way could one 'select wisely' one's foundation?
I mean that the indoctrination becomes an unacknowledged basis for future beliefs, so all one can do is retrospectively affirm that foundation, not 'choose' it in any real way.
Originally posted by DrKFIf overcoming "indoctrination" and "brainwashing" were impossible, then in the study I cited there would not be 6% coming to the Christian faith who are over the age of 19.
Wow. That might be the single best post you have ever written.
One quibble, though - as well as being thoroughly reletavist, it also seems pretty deterministic: if this universal 'brainwashing' or 'indoctrination' generally occurs in childhood and we build upon that process in forming our adult beliefs, in what way could one 'select wisely' one's foundation? ...[text shortened]... retrospectively affirm that foundation, not 'choose' it in any real way.
I would agree that overcoming the group mindset is extraordinary, but it obviously does happen and we all know people who have done it whether it be someone from an atheistic background or Christian background or someone of another religion changing their original core belief system.
I guess the better question is, how does one particular world view triumph over all others over time? For example, how did Christianity and Islam bascially take over the world in terms of religious thought?
From a political angle, how did the world seem to embrace the gospel of democracy? Even the Islamic world seems to have bought into this even though still ruled by a great many tyrants.
Originally posted by wittywonkaFollow-up question (that is at least somewhat relevant) for anybody still interested:
Thoughts?
Have you ever taken initiative to write a letter to a politician (Congress, President, etc.)? Is it even more frivilous to extend political "discussions" to government officials, or is it a strong avenue through which to channel your political opinions?
Originally posted by wittywonkaFrivilous. The politician in question is making calculated voting decisions based upon power and money, neither of which the average Joe has.
Follow-up question (that is at least somewhat relevant) for anybody still interested:
Have you ever taken initiative to write a letter to a politician (Congress, President, etc.)? Is it even more frivilous to extend political "discussions" to government officials, or is it a strong avenue through which to channel your political opinions?
When I have written politicians, if I am opposing their stand I usually don't get a response. However, if they are not decided or agree with their position I normally get a generic letter of some kind that a zillion other people get.