Why is being open-minded considered generally a good thing?

Erik said:
Really? Especially in music? Why is it considered that listening only to metal is a bad thing? Why is liking more or vastly different things considered more sophisticated?


Its ok to love "only" the things you like Erik.
In my honest opinion however, I feel like the world has so much to offer
I would kick myself for not exploring it, or at least.. taste it.
Art, music, countries, food, wine, languages,land scapes... think about everything thatis around you... Now in music specifically, I used to be a "metal only" chick,
but I did discover a lot of things that spoke to me with the same passion metal did, and it really opened my mind to like other things.
Remember back in the early 90's, when all I listened to was THRASH and Death metal... then came extreme black metal... I remmeebr it was so
weird for me at first... but 'opening' my mind to fast songs, different vocals ad riffs probably opened my mind to discover a million other new bands in that style... y'see?


I'm rambling. I had too much wine.
 
I suppose I'm not making myself clear:

I think it's dumb to not listen to something just because you don't THINK you will like it. But that's just me. I could care less.

That said, it's also dumb to say "I'm totally close-minded"... So I suppose you've been listening to black metal your whole life? If I remember correctly, you used to not give two shits about Acid Bath, but when I come back you're digging them. How big is your rut? Where do you draw the line? Just with non-metal? You also listen to Neptune Towers and Sol Invictus... not metal.

In short: you had to take *some* chance to listen to these bands in the first place. What was the first extreme metal album you enjoyed? Was it played in your ear by the Magic Mayhem Fairy?
 
I think it's dumb to not listen to something just because you don't THINK you will like it. But that's just me. I could care less.
And for the last 15 posts or so, I've been trying to get you to explain WHY. Which you still haven't been able to do?

That said, it's also dumb to say "I'm totally close-minded"
I'm not saying that :D

Where do you draw the line? Just with non-metal? You also listen to Neptune Towers and Sol Invictus... not metal.
I listen to shitloads of non metal bands
 
Erik said:
And for the last 15 posts or so, I've been trying to get you to explain WHY. Which you still haven't been able to do?

You've missed my point then... It causes your tastes to evolve and branch out, hence my asking "How did you suddenly start listening to black metal?" Whatever inspired you to pick up that first CD, whatever it was, was in the spirit of curiosity/adventure. If you hadn't tried something new (unless, that is, the Fairy came to you... or you've been listening to Bathory since you were a toddler), you would probably be listening to Kent these days
 
No but you're fucking missing the point. I listened to black metal because I thought I would like it so your whole "it's dumb to not listen to things because you think you will not like it" argument is null & void, not valid for travel.
 
I only read the OP, but here's my view of being open minded:

Being open minded means you won't prevent you from experiencing something because of a prejudice. By that, you can listen to rap, then say that you don't like it, and still be completely open minded, because you actually listened to rap before saying you don't like it. You didn't refuse to listen to rap because you were sure not to like it. Simple huh?

So, if someone listened to every music in the world and still only like metal, that doesn't make him close minded.
 
Erik, don't beat yourself over why is it "bad" to be closed minded.
I believe everything has its own timing, and passion in music should come
on its own...
so if now you only like metal - thats AWESOME!!!



6 years ago, if you'd tell me I'd like certain rock/pop female singers
I'd laugh at your face from the bottom of my gr1m leather jacket.
but now... often you would find Michelle Branch in my car CD changer, next to Immortal and Absu :lol:

y'know?

love what you love, and dont let anyone tell you its "bad"
 
Erik said:
No but you're fucking missing the point. I listened to black metal because I thought I would like it so your whole "it's dumb to not listen to things because you think you will not like it" argument is null & void, not valid for travel.

News flash: EVERYONE tries out what they think they will like, no matter what genre that may be, no matter how many genres. Shit, I usually don't subject myself to music I don't think I will like, but that doesn't mean my tastes don't span the spectrum. Tastes evolve. Rarely will something go from pure loathing to "like." However, let's say you disliked... some random Neurosis album (they're notoriously difficult) on first listen. Would you go back to it? If so, is it just because you "think you will like it"? If you think you will like something enough, you usually will.


Maybe I see WHY this isn't becoming a logical argument, like you're trying to make it. I've already pointed out that I DON'T CARE if someone else is close-minded. It's only personal preference. I like the element of surprise, I like to test the waters. I may have been too purposefully-antagonistic when I called close-minded people idiots... It's more of a sentiment like: "Oh well, your loss."

My only point is that it's dumb to criticize a band you've never heard, that's it.


Why why why why why...
 
However, let's say you disliked... some random Neurosis album (they're notoriously difficult) on first listen. Would you go back to it? If so, is it just because you "think you will like it"?
Pretty much yeah!

You see well

I guess it boils down to there being certain criteria that almost ALL music that I like meets, and I usually feel it in my heart & soul even before hearing whether a certain artist/album will fit into my definition of good music, and if this fictional Neurosis album did I would keep listening to it even if it initially didn't STRIKE ME! LIKE A! SLEDGEHAMMER!

If something DOESN'T, I assume it sucks and I don't even need to listen to it. 99% of the time I'll be right too
 
Its all about inductive and deductive logic.

IMO.

example: good metal musicians write great music, therefore : metal rules.
deductive logic.

Example 2:
I say: most power metal that sings about Dragons- SUCK.
thats inductive.
I learned that most bands in that creteria suck, therefore i created a theory about it, that is correct for ME.
Does that mean I critisize a band without listening to it and that way: limiting myself?

maybe. But thats one Dragon-humping album I can do without :tickled:
 
Erik said:
I usually feel it in my heart & soul even before hearing whether a certain artist/album will fit into my definition of good music

So you automatically know you will like something BEFORE you've heard it? Jeez, I'd think that would remove have the fun.

If something DOESN'T, I assume it sucks and I don't even need to listen to it. 99% of the time I'll be right too

How do you know you're right 99% of the time? I'm not getting epistimological for the sake of being a vunt, I just don't think you have an objective frame of reference (which might, after all, be of dubious importance). I agree, though, that one shouldn't waste their time re-listening to something 20 times just to see if they like it or not. No matter what, there has to be SOME interest. Anyone who says differently is gay/lying.

Another example: Kayo Dot... You "hate" them, yet have never heard them. Like I've said many times, I don't care if you think it's the worst music ever made IF that judgment is based on empirical knowledge i.e. you've heard it, thus you have credibility. I can say I hate *insert Rhapsody album title* because I've listened to it several times and find it to be pure bunk. Thus far, that is our only difference that can be argued over.