20/08/2026
We throw around "I'm open-minded" like it's a mood we're in. It's not. It's a skill and one most of us are actually pretty bad at.
Empathy is understanding where someone is coming from. Debate is defending your position well. Neither one requires you to actually be movable. You can do both and still leave the conversation with your mind exactly where it started.
Real open-mindedness is different: it's letting your position be genuinely at stake. Not performing curiosity while quietly waiting for your turn to talk. It's slower, less satisfying but it's the only one that can actually change something.