I feel like I am too easily persuaded by powerful arguments. In the absence of a counter-argument, I often find myself believing and agreeing with things that may even be opposed to my original belief.
Now, I firmly believe that it’s important for people to be willing to accept other viewpoints, even and specifically when they are contrary to their previous ideas. But where do you draw the line? At what point are you just floating in the wind without any ideology to ground you? Are you lacking in critical thinking if you are that easily persuaded?
In general, I think people are too stubborn and closed-minded, to the point of complete ignorance. So I guess I’d rather be too far on the open-minded end of the spectrum. But too far either way and you’ve got a problem.
Jordan Peterson, the Canadian clinical Psychologist and professor, actually speaks of “ideologies” in a negative context. My understanding of his work is that ideologies tend to pigeon-hole people into specific beliefs and ideas, without the ability to accept new information or conflicting conclusions. People with strong ideologies cannot learn and grow.
In his works, he has also said that it’s important when listening to the ideas of others that you allow yourself to believe what they are saying and to truly be open to the possibility that what they are saying is true. I think I’m definitely at that level, but what if I’m too far?
Perhaps the logical next step is to allow myself to be persuaded and convinced, but then to take a step back and analyze this new information and think critically about it to determine its truth.
So for now, I don’t think its necessary to be more closed-minded by any means. Just to take in new information and then reflect on its truth after the fact.