Thought~Byte No.177

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Profoundly true and truly profound.

Nicely phrased, Jan. Thanks.

Let's hope this lesson doesn't take too long.

That's true, Karen. With many endeavors, like parachute jumping, there is a time limit.

Oh yah! Reading the instructions before we jump in with our two cents helps too!

Agreed, Sia, though many men don't read instructions or ask for directions.

Now featured at Gather's best.

Thank you, Ann.

A difference between the two would be: Unless you're tandem-jumping or land on someone (lol), using a closed parachute will only take YOU out. A closed mind has the potential to take out countless others with you.

This is a really important observation, I think.

An interesting aspect to this Byte, Robert. Thanks.

Glad you connected with it, Suzie

Unfortunately we see too many examples of closed minds in some of the "discussion" threads on Gather as well as elsewhere. And you're right: a closed mind is not a mind in use.

You're right John, but unfortunately, on Gather, a lot of people consider any disagreeing mind to be a closed mind. There is a difference.

Oh, I agree, Robert.

I guess some people confuse an "open mind" with "my mind."

I did some informal research on this with corporate groups. Everyone thinks they rate pretty high on openmindedness. On a scale of 10, people rate themselves 2-3 points higher than their peers rate them.

It would be fun, and tempting, to try that with physicians. I don't think you should have given me the idea, but if I do it I'll let you know, John.

I'd be interested to hear the results, John.

John Philipp: The problem is we are required to carry with us both so that they both open simultaneously. Otherwise, if the parachute does not open, the mind opens in to a realm of divinity but when the mind does not open, the parachute closes the mind for infinity.

There's a whole flipping poem in that comment Vinod. Mind if I write it?

Please go ahead. It is welcome in any color.

Vinod, that's wonderfully expressed and a different way to look at the relationship between these two seemingly distinct items.

Thanks.

I like that , it is very true.

Thanks, JoAnne.

Also an open mind burns more calories. Thinking does that. The brain burns more calories than any other organ, some 20% of the calories your body uses. That's why your head is the last thing that needs protection from the cold and the best thing to cover to get warm.

That's an interesting connection, Larry. As a runner I knew that 50% of the heat that escaped your body escaped through the top — therefore the reason to wear a hat in cold weather.

It never occurred to me that it was a result of thinking.

I have to check this out. I'm thinking of writing a column called The Thinking Man's Diet.

Thanks.

The research for your column should be quite interesting. :-)

What kinds of thoughts take the most energy? Does a sugar high enable more creative thought? Do we think poorly when short of food?

Love it. Thanks.

Both a closed mind and a closed parachute will lead to disastrous results. An open mind allows a person to drift into thoughts that will give them a broader view of life.

Very true, Linda.

One difference might be that with the closed parachute you are acutely aware of the disaster. Some people roll through life with a closed mind and don't know what they are missing.

LOL
Lets hope so!

It's true, Mrs. R.

I have a open mind and dusting inside takes a lot of my time.

sun on the guard’s gun

Ah, yes, Kushal, Mind dusting. It's too bad we can't hire someone to do that for us.

So, why do we need a psycho-therapist? Never went to one. Do they "dust" minds?

Probably he points out at our supposedly golds and proves them to be dusts

And then he collects our "gold" from us and puts it in his bank account. Nice profession.

If your mind is open too wide just about anything can fall in... moderation is key to everything.

That's true as well, Lydia.

I remember someone saying once that it was important to keep an open mind and then added, "but not so open that your brains fall out."

Some things can also fall out; good reasoning, common sense etc.

Good point, Dennis.

My dad once told me that a closed mind and a closed parachute both results in one jumping to a conclusion. :-D)

He had to tell me that only once.

Stutterer using parachute: "wuh wuh wuh wuh wuh wuh wuh wuh wuh wuh wuh wuh one, tw tw tw tw tw tw tw tw tw tw tw tw two, thuh thuh thu thuh thuh thuh three, foh foh foh foh foh foh foh foh foh foh foh foh foh four, . . ."

That's a great line from your dad, Dennis. Thanks.

LOL re: the stutterer.

Cute!

Thanks, Gina.

Isn't that the truth. Too many closed minds in the world.

The irony, Jenn, is that they think they are protecting themselves. Instead they are inhibiting themselves.

That is so true. You have to have an open mind in order to learn anything. Having an open mind helps you to see both sides of things also.

And both sides amount to a whole.

Bingo!!!

That is so true! I certainly would want my parachute open and believe I have a mind that is open.

Just keep them both open, LaRue and enjoy this wonderful world.

sorry to say, mind's don't come with opening instructions!self deployment needed!

Very true, Blaine. Thanks for adding that.

I must of had a closed one today. Sometimes you just don't have any control over the mind when you are tired. It might be a good thing for the mind to close sometimes. Too much info is not good for the brain when you have a lot going on inside the head. Sometimes you have to make more room for info like a computer.

I got change for a twenty today and owed that person $6 to buy some ribs. I was thinking somewhere in my back mind that I gave her the $6 and that she gave me too much. I wasn't thinking about she was giving me change for a $20. Somehow it suddenly left my mind thinking so hard about the $6. She was kind of making fun of me, and probably have been talking about me the whole time behind my back all alone. She finally told me that she was giving me change and my mind clicked back and I paid her the $6. She tried to make me look stupid and that made it extra hard to concentrate. Sometimes it's not all of you making mistakes by yourself, but it is what others do too. When it comes to people, there is so much that you have to deal with. People can make things harder for you, and you just have to pray that you can stay sane.

The people component is very important here, Gail.

Also the overload of information. Thanks.

Snork! In this instance, the problem looks to be self-correcting John.

I guess it is, Vivian. :)

I'm ABSOLUTELY SURE I'm open minded :)

That's the common fond self-image, Glome.

Good way to put it.

I hope you know I was deliberately being closed minded. I was taking off on your comment "I guess some people confuse an "open mind" with "my mind." Ha ha.

:) Yeah, I got it , Glome.

lol this is so very true!

Thanks, Beth.

Like: you have two ears two eyes and ONE mouth!

Good one, Georgiana. Thanks.

I love that concept of one mouth!

and two of the things you should use more, hear and see!

Very nice! Very true!

Very thank you!

Now if closed minds would just hit the ground hard enough to obliterate them.....

There's a thought, Sandre. :)

Yeah, it's hard to be halfway about either one....

Good point, Beaker. It is sort of an either/or situation.

I couldn't agree with you more!

Sure you could, Angela. Try harder. :)

Now this one is so true!

Thanks, Renda.

You sound surprised :)

true!

Thanks, Sandi.

Luckily, my mind is fully open all of time. I keep a big drain in it though so the stuff that I don't agree with just flows through.

The thing about minds is -- you can change them in mid-sentence. Might be a bit troublesome with a parachute.

Rest easy

You can but how many people do?

I love the big drain idea. I'm going right over to the barber college and see if they'll fix me up cheap.

HA HA!! Yes, they certainly do!

I'm with you, Karen.

And the end result is about the same when you hit rock bottom.

Excellent point, Barney.

And, unlike with parachutes, there is no reserve "chute" in regards to the mind. There is only one, and it is our duty as human beings to make sure that it functions properly.

Great point, Heather. I like the analogy of no reserve chute.

Some people have difficulty disregarding their unconscious biases. Your perception is constrained by your biology. Mozart would always hear quarter-tone differences that even most musicians could not perceive - his parachute was wide open in the realm of sound!

I agree perception is constrained by biology, and we are also "aware" of a lot less than we can perceive. I'd address myself to that part—the part I can perceive and learn from.