Third Encounter of a Closed Mind

People with a closed mind attach themselves to certain feelings and beliefs they have at a formative stage in their lives acquired, and henceforth refuse to reconsider them regardless of what may be presented to them.  Attempts to persuade them to think again are liable to be perceived as an attack on their very identity, and would most likely be pushed aside.

The first time we encounter such a closed mind, we may be struck with incredulity. How can anyone possibly think that others are more or less trustworthy depending on their skin tone? Can anyone seriously dismiss overwhelming scientific findings about climate change issues as one big hoax?  Why would anyone assume that countless families living in poverty and hunger must have only themselves to blame?  What would make someone believe they always know more about what God wants than anyone who holds a different view?

On a second occasion, bemusement may give way to anger.  We are now witnessing those with a closed mind backing politicians who want to make it easier to discriminate against people on the grounds or race or sexuality.  We hear them cheering policies that are unsustainable economically and calamitous environmentally.  We see them pressing for ever harsher treatment of those on low pay or in precarious employment.  We learn that in the name of ‘God’ they are rallying around laws to reduce women rights.

By the third time we encounter those with a closed mind, we may despairingly feel there is nothing more to do but to walk away.  What can we do with people who ignore facts, make groundless assumptions, and routinely condemn what they barely know anything about?  Well, there is one thing we could try.  This would be the path of empathic connection.  Instead of trying to prise open a closed mind, introduce it to the experiences of someone they can relate to – a friend of a friend, a neighbour of a relative – indirectly through recounting something that happened, or directly in getting to know a person.

The philosopher, Richard Rorty, once suggested that Heidegger might not have become a Nazi supporter if he had fallen in love with a Jewish woman.  Rorty’s point was that a mind firmly closed to consideration of relevant factors might just be prompted through emotional contact to engage with what was hitherto outside its own confines.  

Love can be powerful in bringing people together.  But often neighbourliness or friendly acquaintance might suffice to facilitate the understanding of new perspectives.  For example, it is well known that areas with lower levels of immigrant population have more negative views about immigration, whereas people who have more opportunities to live and work with immigrants are better disposed towards them [Note 1].

Meeting patients and their families who have had to deal with particular illnesses and treatment could work better than listening to lectures in changing the minds of people who had previously refused to accept any expert medical advice.  Becoming personally familiar with the struggles endured by a couple of overworked, underpaid parents and their hungry children could reveal problems that would otherwise be ignored if the case was covered in a formal report.  Getting to know people with diverse religious and secular beliefs could turn out to be the best antidote to self-righteous extremist views about what is ‘Right’ or ‘Wrong’ in the world.

It may not be easy to get people together when they are usually kept far apart.  But it is always possible [Note 2].  And while there is no guarantee it would work every time, empathic connection offers a tangible route to bring closed minds out into the open.  It’s worth a try.

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Note 1: During the UK’s EU referendum, support for Brexit was generally higher in areas with lower migrant population, and lower in areas with higher migrant population.  People’s assumptions about immigrants tend to improve over time when they get to know more about them in their daily lives.

Note 2: It has been documented that in the First World War, British and German soldiers in opposing trenches made direct contact with each other over the Christmas period and celebrated by sharing food, singing and playing games together.  Alas, their superiors did not welcome this outbreak of fraternity and threatened to court martial anyone refusing to shoot at the enemy.