Keep an Open Mind

I think that when Loeb says, “The more we listen to those whose experiences and perspectives are unfamiliar, the more we realize what draws us together.” he is talking about how we realize that we are not too different from others that we once thought we shared nothing in common with. I liked the story he included the story about the two clashing organizations worked together to solve a problem that would affect all of them. Both groups worked together to fight against the construction of the garbage incinerator even after all of their previous arguments. I think that the story is a great example of how even if we strongly oppose someone else’s views, it doesn’t mean that you can not work together to reach a common goal. I think that in general we need to be more accepting of people’s views and opinions, even if you do not agree with them. It’s important to have an open mind and to see the reasoning behind other people’s point of view and to respect their opinions. Just because you may disagree on one matter doesn’t mean that you do not share anything in common at all. If you are going to come together as a community and effectively address an issue, you must put all other issues and petty disagreements aside.

In our diverse community, I think most of us communicate and interact with people who share different views and experiences than ourselves pretty often. I personally try to listen to rather than block out views that clash with my own. I like to hear why people think the way they do, and a lot of times interesting conversations can come from your disagreements. As long as you don’t get into a fight and start bashing each other you can gain insight from either the other person’s view or your own. When you listen to people who live in different situations and have different experiences than your own, it helps you try to see things from a different perspective. The more you talk to different people and hear about their lives, the greater your overall perception becomes.