The emergence of technology and modernism requires everybody to be open-minded. If innately not, then you can just pretend to be one even though you are a hopeless cynic and a despondent doctrinaire. And if not again, then you will be left behind by all these changes for good.
Unlike centuries ago that open-mindedness was regarded as hypocrisy and heresy, and the government was ruled by religion and superstitions (although, scarily, nothing changed that much nowadays), this modern era is accompanied by open-mindedness, tolerance, and innovations. Change equals modernization. And vice versa.
It is because of technology that information is always within everybody's reach. We are all being feed by these fast-paced pieces of information second by second, minute by minute, hour by hour, every day. So much information that it overwhelms us, that we don't know which news is correct, or is it just one of the sensationalized events manipulated by the media people who are continuously grasping and hounding for headlines that are unique and catchy, making them sound like they can change the world. If nothing, then they'll just settle down on some trashy news about the private (?) lives of celebrities. Everybody loves showbiz news anyway, seeing those glittery stars in the limelight that they are just humans like us (that errs) after all.
Being open-minded means you are an out-of-the-box thinker. You receive any information without any prejudice and judgments, without any bias and filter.
I pride myself to be one. Yeaah.
And I think, am I kidding myself? I am a cynic, a skeptic. I receive information, I rant if it is out of the boundary of my knowledge or if it contrasts my ideals. As a very knowledgeable opinionated woman, any idiot with partial knowledge of the topic will believe me. Heck, I am a natural, believable liar.
How many people out there who are, like me, trying to be open-minded? There are a lot maybe, but there are also a lot of others who are unforgivingly sticking to their own narrow conducts.
Being not open-minded is an issue. How can you embrace changes if you are not? How can you adapt to the ever-changing environment if you are not? Remember that the Age of Industrial Revolution was led by those people who are not afraid of new ideas and of change. In fact, they wanted it. They wanted to change our world, the lives of the people, to make it better, more convenient. Until now, innovators relentlessly work for change.
Ideas advancing, religion and beliefs evolving, human values progressing (other saw it digressing because of lesser interpersonal contacts due to yes, technology).
Atheism and Agnosticism are now a trend. There are even self-declared Satanists. How can we accept this fact of so-called heresy if we are left behind in those gaping holes of ancient beliefs?
I, myself is an Agnostic and it doesn't bother me other people's preferred belief. But there are things that are so different and new it shocks me despite the fact that I boast myself that there are very few things that can surprise me.
P.S. This is just an article written in dragging ways by an open-minded idiot that is me. *peace*
PPS this is it as of now.
Update: I am now a pure atheist.
