buffy said:

James Oberg — ‘Keep an open mind, but no so open that your brains fall out’

I’ve been thinking about this for a few days now.

While i have heard of many brainless people, and have known a few, i can’t think of any of them who actually have an open mind. Brainless people either have a very closed mind, have had a mind blasted out of existance by illegal drugs, are in the last stages of dementia, or are in such emotional or physical pain that they can’t think.

Is there really such a thing as having a mind that is too open?

>Is there really such a thing as having a mind that is too open?

Yes. You could have a mind so open that it remains open to ideas that have already been conclusively refuted, or that make no inherent sense, after this has already been explained to you in a manner that should have been convincing.

mollwollfumble said:

buffy said:

James Oberg — ‘Keep an open mind, but no so open that your brains fall out’

I’ve been thinking about this for a few days now.

While i have heard of many brainless people, and have known a few, i can’t think of any of them who actually have an open mind. Brainless people either have a very closed mind, have had a mind blasted out of existance by illegal drugs, are in the last stages of dementia, or are in such emotional or physical pain that they can’t think.

Is there really such a thing as having a mind that is too open?

Yes and no. Having an open mind to new things can be beneficial, but sooner or later you need to decide on the issue and after that your mind is pretty much closed, unless some major new circumstance develops that forces a readjustment. You can’t keep an open mind indefinitely.

Gullible people who believe everything they read?

I can’t help thinking that is an analogy between learning and dating.

You can entertain an idea, or a date, but you don’t have to go to bed with it.

And if you do end up going to bed with it, you don’t have to either believe it or marry it.

mollwollfumble said:

I can’t help thinking that is an analogy between learning and dating.

You can entertain an idea, or a date, but you don’t have to go to bed with it.

And if you do end up going to bed with it, you don’t have to either believe it or marry it.

Well, that’s a stretch…

transition said:

Can I quote you on that?

Divine Angel said:

Gullible people who believe everything they read?

Like Jim Carey in “Yes Man”?

Bubblecar said:

>Is there really such a thing as having a mind that is too open?

Yes. You could have a mind so open that it remains open to ideas that have already been conclusively refuted, or that make no inherent sense, after this has already been explained to you in a manner that should have been convincing.

But moll’s point is that the people who are open to these refuted ideas invariably have a closed mind about everything else, so they are not really open minded at all. I think that’s a good point.

I think that truly open minds are very rare, and very valuable, but it is fortunate that they are rare. Otherwise we wouldn’t get anything done.

I was thinking more along the lines of conspiracy theorists.

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Yes Man, but Jim Carrey’s character was very closed. Not sure saying yes to blowjob by an ancient woman was the best idea…

Divine Angel said:

I was thinking more along the lines of conspiracy theorists.

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Yes Man, but Jim Carrey’s character was very closed. Not sure saying yes to blowjob by an ancient woman was the best idea…

That was a very memorable part of the film.

Gotcha. A person who agrees with all the latest conspiracies would be a perfect example of a mind that was too open.

The Rev Dodgson said:

Bubblecar said:

>Is there really such a thing as having a mind that is too open?

Yes. You could have a mind so open that it remains open to ideas that have already been conclusively refuted, or that make no inherent sense, after this has already been explained to you in a manner that should have been convincing.

But moll’s point is that the people who are open to these refuted ideas invariably have a closed mind about everything else, so they are not really open minded at all. I think that’s a good point.

I think that truly open minds are very rare, and very valuable, but it is fortunate that they are rare. Otherwise we wouldn’t get anything done.

Teena McQueen is a classic example. Just watched a bit of Q&A. Ye Gods!

ChrispenEvan said:

Teena McQueen is a classic example. Just watched a bit of Q&A. Ye Gods!

Does this mean that the MG Midget must be renamed the MG Little Person?

Tamb said:

ChrispenEvan said:

Teena McQueen is a classic example. Just watched a bit of Q&A. Ye Gods!

Does this mean that the MG Midget must be renamed the MG Little Person?

Oops, sorry. Wong fred.

Tamb said:

ChrispenEvan said:

Teena McQueen is a classic example. Just watched a bit of Q&A. Ye Gods!

Does this mean that the MG Midget must be renamed the MG Little Person?

No. Call it by its original name. It was a badge-engineered Austin-Healey Sprite.

Michael V said:

Tamb said:

ChrispenEvan said:

Teena McQueen is a classic example. Just watched a bit of Q&A. Ye Gods!

Does this mean that the MG Midget must be renamed the MG Little Person?

No. Call it by its original name. It was a badge-engineered Austin-Healey Sprite.

True.
At the time BMC were world leaders in badge engineering.

>Can I quote you on that?

i’m not attached to the effort, you can have it.

Peak Warming Man said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

I think that truly open minds are very rare, and very valuable, but it is fortunate that they are rare. Otherwise we wouldn’t get anything done.

Rev D, that is brilliant.

What with contributions from buffy, Rev D and transition, I now have enough material for three more Good Scientist Cartoons.

>But moll’s point is that the people who are open to these refuted ideas invariably have a closed mind about everything else, so they are not really open minded at all. I think that’s a good point.

Not necessarily. I’m referring more to the kind of people suggested by party_pants, who never reach any conclusions about anything, but just “keep an open mind”.

mollwollfumble said:

Divine Angel said:

I was thinking more along the lines of conspiracy theorists.

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Yes Man, but Jim Carrey’s character was very closed. Not sure saying yes to blowjob by an ancient woman was the best idea…

That was a very memorable part of the film.

Gotcha. A person who agrees with all the latest conspiracies would be a perfect example of a mind that was too open.

I think gullibility is getting confused with having an open mind. Don’t forget the opposite of an open mind is a closed one!

mollwollfumble said:

buffy said:

James Oberg — ‘Keep an open mind, but no so open that your brains fall out’

I’ve been thinking about this for a few days now.

While i have heard of many brainless people, and have known a few, i can’t think of any of them who actually have an open mind. Brainless people either have a very closed mind, have had a mind blasted out of existence by illegal drugs, are in the last stages of dementia, or are in such emotional or physical pain that they can’t think.

Is there really such a thing as having a mind that is too open?

Looks like there is.

mollwollfumble said:

mollwollfumble said:

buffy said:

James Oberg — ‘Keep an open mind, but no so open that your brains fall out’

I’ve been thinking about this for a few days now.

While i have heard of many brainless people, and have known a few, i can’t think of any of them who actually have an open mind. Brainless people either have a very closed mind, have had a mind blasted out of existence by illegal drugs, are in the last stages of dementia, or are in such emotional or physical pain that they can’t think.

Is there really such a thing as having a mind that is too open?

Looks like there is.

I like those.

Especially the last one ;)

The Rev Dodgson said:

mollwollfumble said:

mollwollfumble said:

I’ve been thinking about this for a few days now.

While i have heard of many brainless people, and have known a few, i can’t think of any of them who actually have an open mind. Brainless people either have a very closed mind, have had a mind blasted out of existence by illegal drugs, are in the last stages of dementia, or are in such emotional or physical pain that they can’t think.

Is there really such a thing as having a mind that is too open?

Looks like there is.

I like those.

Especially the last one ;)

Thanks.

The Rev Dodgson said:

mollwollfumble said:

mollwollfumble said:

I’ve been thinking about this for a few days now.

While i have heard of many brainless people, and have known a few, i can’t think of any of them who actually have an open mind. Brainless people either have a very closed mind, have had a mind blasted out of existence by illegal drugs, are in the last stages of dementia, or are in such emotional or physical pain that they can’t think.

Is there really such a thing as having a mind that is too open?

Looks like there is.

I like those.

Especially the last one ;)

What Moll needs is a paywall to monetise his talents.

mollwollfumble said:

buffy said:

James Oberg — ‘Keep an open mind, but no so open that your brains fall out’

I’ve been thinking about this for a few days now.

While i have heard of many brainless people, and have known a few, i can’t think of any of them who actually have an open mind. Brainless people either have a very closed mind, have had a mind blasted out of existance by illegal drugs, are in the last stages of dementia, or are in such emotional or physical pain that they can’t think.

Is there really such a thing as having a mind that is too open?

A quick Binge on the quote comes up with:
https://www.skeptic.com/insight/open-mind-brains-fall-out-maxim-adage-aphorism/

which says that Carl Sagan attributed it to Oberg, but it is almost certainly earlier.

I always associated it with Dawkins, but it definitely wasn’t him.

Witty Rejoinder said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

I like those.

Especially the last one ;)

What Moll needs is a paywall to monetise his talents.

That or a forum with about a billion times more followers.

The Rev Dodgson said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

I like those.

Especially the last one ;)

What Moll needs is a paywall to monetise his talents.

That or a forum with about a billion times more followers.

wont get any new members here. this place will just get smaller and smaller…

ChrispenEvan said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

What Moll needs is a paywall to monetise his talents.

That or a forum with about a billion times more followers.

wont get any new members here. this place will just get smaller and smaller…

Change it’s name and you would get more traffic.

ChrispenEvan said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

What Moll needs is a paywall to monetise his talents.

That or a forum with about a billion times more followers.

wont get any new members here. this place will just get smaller and smaller…

Oh I don’t know.

If we keep working on that new diddly-squat person we might convince him to become a regular.

The Rev Dodgson said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

I like those.

Especially the last one ;)

What Moll needs is a paywall to monetise his talents.

That or a forum with about a billion times more followers.

Not a paywall, because I swipe too many images without acknowledging copyright, but more followers would help. I used to have one follower liking me on Facebook, but for the last set that dropped down to zero.