People who have embraced my ideas often seem to have the notion that other people MUST recognize their validity. Christian evangelists have the same notion. What do you do when someone tries to convert you to Seventh Day Adventism or Mormonism or Marxism? You probably resist, and feel you have every right to do so.

You should recognize that other people feel they have the right to resist ideas that to you and me seem obvious. On the other hand, it’s obvious that not everyone’s mind is closed. Every day people who are open to something new are converted to Seventh Day Adventism or Mormonism or Marxism. And every day people who are open to something new embrace the ideas you and I would like to see them embrace.

But this never happens through coercion or argumentation. I personally have never known a single mind to be changed by argument. So someone calls you a tree-hugging communist. Why do you care what some closed-minded idiot thinks of you? Find people to talk to who AREN’T closed-minded idiots. They’re certainly out there.

ID: 629
posted:
updated: 08 Apr 2003