Sometime in the past week I was watching this ridiculous show called 'Swap Spouses' or 'Trading Spouses,' something like that. This particular episode there was two couples who decided to switch places- keep in mind they have no idea what kind of family they are switching with. Well the first mother Susan(Just made up names) that switched places seemed to be very closed minded at first and when she met the 'father' at the airport she learned that the couple were homosexual so she had to live with a women instead, she was shocked. As Susan was living with Diane (homosexual), all she did was turn her away and put down all of Diane's beliefs. Susan said that being homosexual was a birth defect, and offended two of Diane's friends by saying to her hispanic friend that this specific race needs to go back to Mexico, etc. Susan also explained that if she found out that she were having a down syndrome child or one with a birth effect she would abort it. I am not saying that we are not able to have opinions for ourself; but we need to know why we believe certain things and be open minded to others, listen and empathize and towards others. We should be able to argue both sides first before we make up our mind.
"What I like about experience is that it is such an honest thing. You may take any number of wrong turnings; but keep your eyes open and you will not be allowed to go very far before the warning signs appear. You may have deceived yourself, but experience is not trying to deceive you. The universe rings true wherever you fairly test it. "
-C.S. Lewis
Can I be friends with a Democrat and Republican? Would it bother me to see the same gender kissing? Would I secretly judge a friend that STD? Do I try exotic food even if it were very strange? I don't think less of someone who is on welfare? Am I offended of public nudity? Am I ready to debate my beliefs with anyone at anytime? Would I welcome someone into my home that was from a different religion walking door to door? If I had someone cheat on me, would I listen to their explanation before breaking the whole thing off? Do I have friends that are rich and poor? The list can go on. Anyway, this made me think on how we are raised, are we brain washed with our parents to think the way they think? Are we just as open minded as our parents or more open minded? Are all of our opinions based off what our parents believe? Do we know for ourselves or do we just believe it to believe it? These questions made me think how open minded am I?
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I think you bring up a valid point. I've noticed in my life that I really do imitate my parents, for better or for worse. I have even caught myself reiterating their opinions and sticking my name on it even though I hadn't really thought about the given topic myself. Much of children adopting their parents' opinions probably has to do with personality, but I do think that parents have a tremendous affect on their children. There comes a point in everyone's life where his or her (well, the parent's) opinions are questioned. It's then when people can find out for themselves what they really believe and whether or not the parents' beliefs suit them. Sadly, many people don't even bother to do this, and that's when society comes upon the problem of people with unfounded opinions which are really just sad imitations of their parents' beliefs and biases. . . It's stupid, really.
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