But the ego is a part of you, it's not you although it may try to convince you that is is, but it is an integral part of you. It constantly works to make sure that you believe that you are right and never wrong. Which I assume is why failure stings.

I like that philosophy. A very good way to think of things.

And I just changed the OP a bit to make it sound a little more like I wanted it to. I know people have been close-minded since the beginning of time, I've just been noticing it more. Whether that is a product of me getting older and involving myself in more debates or because the people directly around me are becoming more close-minded, I don't know. However it's got me thinking about it and how much it shackles society and progress.

Nothing new really when many people take things such as religion or politics to heart where to disagree with them is to disagree with their sense of self. Often being one of the most common types of fools to prefer the past out of a sense of the slow acting poison of the mind that is nostalgia. Mind you being somewhat close minded can be good for preserving one's beliefs to an acceptable degree where one is not seen changing their views on a dime toss or otherwise easily manipulated.

Nothing new however given how a lot of people follow an Absolutist/Objectivist philosophy alas asserting their own views upon another which in turn makes them a poor listener in essence being far too close minded for their own good. Like most other things balance is optimal.

If one lives like this, the only real truth one can prove without any doubt is mathematical truth. Everything else can only be obtained as "knowledge" by the methodology of "Falsificationism" where the current theory is the only one not yet proven false. If one subscribes to this kind of radical doubt, (thanks a lot Descartes... ) then one can not make any absolute moral or ethical statements. And yet we must make statements like these, or else society would not be able to function. You take more things than you imagine to be true without any totally certain evidence for them. In fact, we all deal with probabilities, not certainties, in all aspects of non-mathematical knowledge, and if we didn't, we would be paralyzed by doubt. And once again, I cannot proceed further in this argument due to inevitable religious content.

It's sad that some people think Arguing = Fighting each other, it should be "working together to find the answer".

Morals and ethics should be approached with an open mind as well though. There is no absolute morality... for example it was probably considered fine from a moral standpoint to own slaves a few hundred years ago, but now we have changed our stance on that.

i feel people are more open minded nowadays actually, but way too individualistic. care too much about themselves and too little about others

I agree. I'd like to think I have fairly 'loose' opinions on a lot of things. As in I can appreciate two sides of an argument and be respectful. I can't stand people who just wait for you to finish your point, but don't listen, they're just waiting for their turn to speak.

The problem is politics isn't a science and as much as people like to think economics is a science, it isn't. Far to many variables for it to be repeated over and over agian. For something to be a science, you have to be able to do the samething over and over again and get the same results every time.

"The price for freedom is eternal vigilance" wise words. Most of us live in a democracy and democracies are the most fragile form of government. Just so many variables. I really do fear for the future and I agree with the OP with so many people just being close minded. Far to many people out there that don't pay attention to whats going on in the world, or they only look to one source of information. They don't think for themselves and then are expected to pick a leader. I would rather they just stay at home if they have no clue as to whats going on.

So many of my friends and people I know don't know crap all about the world around them. I try to explain to them my point of view and they shut me down. I am about done with College and I am glad for it, I am the only one that asks questions. I am the guy the professor goes to when he asks a question. Some of my classes are about the environment. I don't believe in man made global warming, I get alot of flak about that. I try to explain my point of view and I get shut down by everyone. I try to show them documents/reports from NASA, the UN and other respectable sources and I get shut down. I show them videos of so called "Environmental Saints" lying their ass off, and I get shut down. Still jokes on them, I am getting all A's.

Fixed for you.

Nit picking to some people, though there still a difference, but the US isn't a democracy, it is a constitutional republic.

You hit the nail on the head with that one.

Very good video.

I'll let you in on a secret there are only 2 types of people:

- Those that agree with me

- ...and those that are wrong

I used to be pretty close minded about religion, back when I was a christian.

This was me until I took a step back, let all my biases go, and looked at religion from all sides. I was a religious freak when I was a teen. I hate my younger self

After my change, I find that you notice it A LOT more. I tried to have some people look at it from my point of view, but their reaction was something along the lines of "You're tempting me, you sinner!".
Of course, this was when I was 15. Not many people think teenagers are capable of deeper thought than "humping,video games, and anarchy". The only one who ever listened to me was my best friend (he realized he was gay and was having alot of trouble with the whole "gay=sin" thing,) but thats neither here or there.



Not trying to start a flamewar or anything, just saying from experience. I've met religious people who were nice and accepting of other people, but then there are a lot of the opposite.

If you look at this perception from a more broad view (what you posted I went through as well and grew out of that kind of stuff) you will realize that objective introspection (not simply reaffirming subjective-type introspection commonly seen) can lead to better decision making all around.

Do you get to vote to pick your leader? Then in simplest terms its a democracy, its democratic.