Grace+Ca’s+Final+AmEx+Speech+2016


 * Having an Open Mind **

There are over 7.4 billion people on this Earth. There are even a few people in space. With so many different opinions and perspectives and ideas, what gives any of us the right to claim that our ideas are right beyond a doubt? Without even considering that there might be something we don’t know? It’s one thing to stand by your beliefs, but to not even consider that someone else’s view might be just as valid as your own is ridiculously pretentious. Imagine for a moment where we would be without open-mindedness. Seriously, think about it. Any time you’ve changed your mind about anything. Think about all the times you’ve judged someone, only to realize that you were completely wrong about them. Think about times when you overhear one line of a conversation and get angry because you heard the line out of context and misunderstood its meaning. What about that book series you thought would be the stupidest thing ever until you finally read it and realized it was a work of genius? On a more serious note, imagine where we’d be if no one had ever challenged the idea that the Earth was flat or that it was the center of the universe. Imagine where medicine would be if doctors had clung to the insane treatments of the past. Imagine where we’d be if everyone still thought that women were unfit for work outside of the home. If no one had thought to challenge slavery, oppression, and tyranny. When I look around, I see people and groups being unwilling to have an open conversation about their perspectives, leading to conflict and tension. Everyone just seems to sit on one side or the other, shouting insults at each other. And where does this get us? Nowhere. This is why our government has so much trouble getting things accomplished. This is why nations go to war. It's why we have civil wars, terrorists, and corruption. And all because no one listens. There is no progress without a fundamental change in the way people view a situation. It makes me angry to consider how many people lost their voice throughout human history, simply because others didn’t want to consider their opinion. How many brilliant ideas have been silenced just because they were different? Not to mention those who have lost their lives for not conforming to a certain set of beliefs. But we can change that, through a simple switch in our thinking. Just because someone has a unique perspective doesn’t make them wrong, and it doesn’t make you wrong either. Just imagine - two people with different ideas both being right. I know - it sounds crazy. Today, “right” and “wrong” are used to describe every manner of comment, policy, and value that comes up for debate. But who are we to say what is right and what is wrong? Who are we to tell people how to live their lives? Why should we get to decide who people should love, what they should look like, or how they should practice religion? Our country was founded on freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and similar values that emphasize the right of each individual to be unique and hold his or her own opinion without the threat of being persecuted for it. At this point in our lives, especially in this class, I imagine that most of you have formed opinions on many of our country’s most widely debated topics. I’ve heard some of you voicing opinions in very convincing and eloquent ways. What I don’t hear quite as often is a changing perspective. When someone with a different opinion brings up a good argument, our first impulse seems to be to refute and dismiss that argument, instead of considering it as something with value and truth. Even if we can’t come up with a proper counter-argument, we shrug it off and go on holding the same beliefs. I’m guilty of doing this much more often than I’d like to admit. As we inch closer to adulthood and the responsibility that comes with age, we face the danger of cementing ourselves in our view of the world. But it is our duty to uphold the rights of each and every person, and to hopefully leave the world better than we found it, and this stubbornness is counterproductive. I want to grow old in an America of open-minded people, where instead of stubbornly clutching to incomplete reasoning and superficial understanding, everyone cares enough to fully investigate topics before pronouncing their judgement. Open-mindedness leads to an appreciation of diversity and variety, which is something that the modern world is definitely lacking. It leads to more informed individuals who can make better choices that benefit everyone involved. It’s how we progress through history, how we improve our world, and how we reflect on our past in order to protect our future. Having an open mind means valuing each person for who they are and what they feel, and at least understanding where they are coming from, even if you don’t agree. It also means recognizing and acknowledging your own flaws, allowing you to focus on and improve them. An open mind is constantly seeking a deeper understanding of the world and is open to changing perspectives depending on the information gained. I want people to be humble enough to admit when they failed to consider all the facts, and to be open to constructive criticism. I want people to be wise enough to improve themselves, and to realize that this world is constantly changing, and our perspectives must sometimes change with it. Having an open mind is how ordinary mortals go about the business of compromise - of compromise which gets us through the day.