Cliché as it is, can you really think outside the box?  What I mean by this is can you intelligently entertain ideas or notions that are not in line with your current beliefs?  This is a difficult task as one is most comfortable with what they know, or at least think they know and are not easily moved from the normalcy security blanket in which they most often wrap themselves.

Here’s an example, though not perfect.  This past weekend, my wife and I tried sushi for the first time.  Admittedly, consuming raw fish goes against everything I’ve even been taught and experienced in my Western culture upbringing.  So staring at a thinly sliced raw salmon and red and white tuna rolls, we were a little out of our comfort zones.  But we mustered some courage, did our best impersonations of people who know how to use chopsticks, and dove right in.  And guess what happened?

No, we weren’t instantly in love with raw fish but we did find that it didn’t taste ‘fishy’ at all and we were pleasantly surprised with the new flavors and textures we’d never experienced.  We also had the restaurant to ourselves and the chef was able to walk us through each roll and item, explaining the preparation, the ingredients and the nuance to each piece.  We probably won’t turn into regular sushi eaters (although I must confess, raw salmon is amazing) but when offered the opportunity to enjoy it again I’m sure we’ll try another couple rolls and take pleasure in experiencing another round.

Going back to the point of this, how willing are you to take in and digest an idea that seems foreign, unpalatable or even dangerous?  If someone serves you with a big helping of the “all drugs should be legal for a person to ingest as long as they don’t hurt anyone else”, will you devote a few minutes and synapses to hear that argument from beginning to end or will you put up the verbal equivalent to an out-stretched palm, saying “You’re crazy” and refuse to fully consider the opposing opinion?  Similarly, if someone is devoted to the state military and indicates that “every young person should serve, it would straighten them up and make adults of them”, can you sit patiently and hear their reasons? 

Just because you listen and think about another viewpoint doesn’t mean you agree with it.  In fact, the best way to refute an argument is to learn as much about the topic as possible so that you may thoroughly dispense with each and every falsehood.  One who is steadfast in their beliefs should relish the opportunity to hear the other side in order to more vigorously defend their own.  And if they can’t counter each and every point, maybe there is something to learn about an alternative theory. 

So what does one do when faced with an unwilling party, one who won’t even consider an idea counter to their long held positions?  Smile and be gracious telling them they can dine on the tripe over at the mainstream cafeteria; you’re serving those with a more adventurous appetite.