Why are people so close-minded?

S

SpoofyMcPoof

Community Member
MBTI
INFJ
Something I find very disturbing is that no matter how sound or logical an argument is, some people will never be convinced. There's something about that thought that chills me to the core. The naive part of me always thought that human beings were at heart reasonable creatures. The rest of me knows better :(.

Edit: I know the website was a joke, but it was a harsh reminder because some people really feel this way.
 
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I've been through that site a number of times in a giggly mess. It's a troll site. They're made to provoke a reaction and to get tracking cookies onto your computer.

Yeah, there might be people in the world who're actually like that but that particular place isn't an example of it. It's primarily a place for one or two guys to be silly and to get people laughing. Sure, it's mean as hell but then, people aren't particularly nice as much as I might wish otherwise.
 
It seems as though everything "should have" have some of structure for the sakes of one's sanity--and then before you know it, there are all these groups of things. Stereotypes. It's all part of the structure we chose to see. We either like it or we don't, but it's too hard to do anything to change it.
 
i think people are smallminded because they like it. it feels good, it's nice for them, it makes them feel secure and certain. and they don't have to spend energy thinking through complex issues.

we do need stereotypes though. the world is too big to process. but it helps to be aware we are using them i think.
 
By the way, check your computer for tracking cookies and if you do decide to visit, have your ActiveX controls disabled.
 
You're taking this guy seriously becauuuuuuse.......?

The guy is pushing a front. It's totally an act. If he fessed up and admitted it, he'd get no publicity.

EDIT: Leave it to a woman to convince me to go to some damn waste-of-time site *grumble*
 
Disregard my serious sounding comment up there.

This website made me laugh a bit

Pfft men these days.
 
o_q said:
Because it's REALLY easy
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And also because they don't use their intuition. Sometimes people think that I'm close minded on an issue because I'm so set on my opinion but the thing is that I usually consider all the angles I can think of and then make a decision that I stick with. If some one were to come up with a new angle, I would consider it but not considering everything and taking into account multiple perspectives grinds my gears.
 
I'm not sure this is what you are talking about, but oftentimes it isn't worth the time to analyze someone's argument when you sense that something in there is wrong.
 
bronson_ said:
Awww, what website was it? :m142:
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Ditto on that. What was the website of ignorance?

To the OP, people often don't like what they don't understand.
People are are afriad of being wrong and outcasted as a result of their differences, so they follow what everyone else follow.
That's how we get close minded people.
 
People aren't rational creatures, they are creatures capable of rational thought

For the most part people are emotional

That is why advertising and the media plays on peoples fears and insecurities.....it wants to impact people on an emotional level

Watch a speech by Hitler....they're very emotionally charged....that's why he was able to manipulate people and stir up anger and hate

Contrast that with Noam Chomsky. His delivery is totally flat...he just gives people the facts. The downside of that is that although what he is saying is amazing it's not very exciting to watch! He is not trying to play on your emotions he is just trying to inform

We are a generation raised on MTV where the camera angle changes every second. We are bombarded with many different images in a small space of time. We have been programmed to not be able to concentrate for very long (hence ADHD....this might also be linked to mercury and aluminium in vaccines)

I think that some people become comfortable in their perceptions. They may even have a lot invested in their perceptions. Their perceptions may be part of their culture, part of their social scene and part of their identity....so the thought of changing their perceptions is scary for them.

If their perceptions are challenged their ego defence mechanisms kick in.

Society is told many lies by the media. Those lies then make up 'conventional wisdom'. If you then try to purge yourself of those false perceptions you will be at odds with conventional wisdom and if you voice your new perceptions then people will oppose you because you are no longer following the 'conventional wisdom'

People as a society develop consciousnesses. For example a couple of hundred years ago it was common for both men and women to see women as inferior. That was a false consciousness upheld by the system. Over time enlightened people managed to overturn that false consciousness and women have gained greater respect in society

The system has reacted by turning men and women against each other ('battle of the sexes')....but thats another issue!

So improving the world is really about growing awareness and changing consciousness.......but there will always be opposition to that from those that have something invested in the status quo or by those who lack awareness of how their currently held consciousness is wrong or who fear change
 
There is no link in OPs post so I'm going to comment on the OP in general.

I agree with previous posters, I think that they gave very good explanations. I'd like to add something to it, and that is the issue of time. If you have to work to support your family, then rush home to spend some time with your family, and if you try to spend some quality time with your friends, then it becomes obvious that there is little to none time left for you to get properly informed about things happening around you, let alone in the world. And because it is easier and people are tired after running around trying to make some dissent living, they get to believe whatever they get to hear in those limited periods of time when they are listening to the radio, watching tv or reading papers. Simply put, once you get to have a family the time needed to keep you open minded disappears.
 
InnerFlame00 said:
Something I find very disturbing is that no matter how sound or logical an argument is, some people will never be convinced. There's something about that thought that chills me to the core. The naive part of me always thought that human beings were at heart reasonable creatures. The rest of me knows better :(.

Edit: I know the website was a joke, but it was a harsh reminder because some people really feel this way.
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Sometimes letting yourself say "others may have been more correct than me" means admitting you may have somehow been somewhat wrong.

Not admitting that can sometimes be a self defense mechanism.

Sometimes people don't even realize that their self defense has even kicked in. :ohwell:
 
People are close minded because to change your mind means you will have to change your actions in order to remain authentic. That's more responsibility than some people want.
 
AlienSpectator said:
People are close minded because to change your mind means you will have to change your actions in order to remain authentic. That's more responsibility than some people want.
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Also, changing your mind is a serious inconvenience. It disrupts the flow of following perfectly good plans.
 
Some, most people (even me and maybe others here) just HATE to be wrong, and LOVE to be right.
 
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