THE DANGERS OF NARROW-MINDEDNESS – reproduced from the Daily Observer’s
Youth Matters by Musa Krubally (August 5th 2001).

Narrow-mindedness is really dangerous and it hampers development in any
given country. It is defined as LACKING TOLERANCE OR NOT HAVING THE MENTAL
FACULTY TO SEE BEYOND THE SUPERFICIAL AND SEE THE UNDERLYING TRUTH.
Currently, this tendency appears to be widespread in all segments of
communities.

The primary reason for this deplorable condition is ignorance, the inability
to recognise this deficiency and take corrective action. This situation is
further aggravated IF THE IGNORANT PERSON CONSIDERS HIMSELF TO BE THE
EPITOME OF WISDOM, AND IF, HE WAS IN A LEADERSHIP OR HIGHLY VISIBLE
POSSITION; he could cause unnecessary harm to family, a community or an
entire nation.

Absence of insight can also cause narrow-mindedness by having a negative
effect on one’s thought processes. INSIGHT IS A RARE VIRTURE, AND QUITE
DIFFERENT FROM IGNORANCE. A PERSON WHO LACKS INSIGHT MAY POSSES SOME
KNOWLEDGE BUT DERIVES NO BENEFIT FROM IT DUE TO LACK OF ANALYTICAL SKILLS,
while someone with insight assesses his or her knowledge of a situation and
then selects and uses its relevant parts. Through insight, they are able to
see what others may not.

A rigidly traditional individual’s perceptivity, like that of a captive frog
in a deep well, is able to function only within narrow parameters. He does
not realise that there are boundless vistas of knowledge beyond the scope of
the well, therefore, his mental and intellectual evolution remains stunted.
HE IS UNABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE KNOWLEDGE BEYOND HIS LIMITED HORIZON.

Blind imitation creates another obstacle to one’s intellectual growth. The
two world wars of the past century are the perfect examples of this
disability that can allow ruthless political or religious leaders to
manipulate the minds of people who are unable to form their own objective
views.

SOME INDIVIDUALS HABITUALLY LOOK AT THINGS FROM ONE ANGLE AND ACCEPT THEM AS
ACTUAL FACTS WITHOUT THINKING THAT THERE MAY BE A DIFFERENT SIDE TO THE
ISSUE, OR THAT REALITY MAY ACTUALLY BE QUITE DIFFERENT FROM APPEARANCE.
Furthermore some people are impressed by quantity at the expense of quality.

A failure to prioritise or differentiate wrong from right often leads people
to loose sight of the broader picture. Often people will focus on the
immediate and disregard the potential disastrous effects of an action
further down the road. Along with ignorance, narrow-mindedness and of course
a lack of insight, these gaps usually prove detrimental to that individual’s
future. And when the future of many individuals in a country is destroyed,
the future of that nation is obviously bleak. All emphasis mine.

Have a good day, Gassa.


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