Yup It's tru Nishi.... It's true that it's not easy to stay ''open minded'' these day...It's a full time job. But personnaly I think it's also a way to have the peace of mind.... Nice picture li'l Hamster and really thoughfull.... I really like it

If you keep your mind open, people will fill it with DICKS.

*Hugs*

you've already stuck it everywhere else. ;O;

The only place I haven't stuck it is in itself... >:3

Open minds > Open legs

Agree to disagree!

oh Nishi~.... always such deep thought-invoking journals~

being open-minded is truly a sign of strength, since having a closed mind is much easier.

Simple and true!

Just remember that people refuting something doesn't necessarily mean they're close-minded. The "open mind ethos" isn't one of blind acceptance, it's one of thought.
If I were to look at a topic, consider all the options, give it solid and fair thought and still come to the conclusion that I hate it I would still be perfectly "open minded" even though to any new observer I would appear a biased asshole.
Remember to be open-minded about close-mindedness too 8D

Haha yup. 8D Though, if that new observer is open-minded I don't think they'll go and make assumptions about how you decided on your ideas, or they'll at least keep that possibility open. (:

Lovely insights :)

LICK MY EYEBALLS <3

I'm far too delirious from sleep deprivation to say anything meaningful here, except that you have some very interesting thoughts on this subject. The previous generation always has a lot of trouble adjusting to the changes brought about by the current one (and we all become hypocrites in the end if we complain about that, since we'll be the same way in 50 years).

Haha I know it's terrible! Every generation tries to adjust to the new changes they're given and they can sometimes handle it better than the older people hanging around, but eventually people get old and tired and don't keep changing and adjusting when they're old. Easy to get set in our ways, I guess. :B

It's always hard to introduce adults to new things, and that's really sad D:
Lovely colors <3

Haha, yeah. X3 It's frustrating that people can make it such a long way, and then stop.

Aw how cute. Yeah some people do like to say it would fill you with garbage but then they leave it at that. I believe the purpose of an open mind isn't about ACCEPTING but about CONSIDERATION. You're supposed to consider all the ideas so they have they have the chance to dislodge flawed ideas IF they really are. Have you seen this? I love everything this guy does btw: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T69TOuqaqXI

The re visiting thing is really interesting. Cause honestly I feel like I do that too, reallly thinking about it, I feel like I actually do want to try to make things go right somehow. I just make up stories of places that would have all the stuff I would have preferred happen .__.

Haha, I like where he goes "ME MORE OPEN-MINDED!"
I probably got stuck in this a bit too, if I don't already sound like it here. People can get close-minded about being open-minded, when really the whole open thing is about considering possibilities - you can still be a decisive person and open-minded at the same time. (:

Well I think art is good for that whole "making things right" sorta idea. It's good to express your feelings about the situation, and how you wish it would have gone, or show how you think it could go if things went differently, or why it's wrong that it happened the way it did. Lots of stuff!

Yeah I would imagine there's a lot to it, augh man school probably has a lot of things to talk about .__. well then yeah I guess I would keep thinking about the stuff I wanna go back to. Heh

and lol I wish I could be decicisve and open minded at the same time ;o;

Yeah. X3 I know what you mean, I struggle balancing those two too.

I thinkthe thing I'm afraid of about getting older is not that I will feel different about things, but rather the fact that I will one day accept the fact that I'm changing~

Well we might always be changing a bit, but I don't think it means we're powerless to that change if we don't want to be. :3

Having an open mind is a great thing. It's even better if you can see the situation from both sides. Understanding the views and opinions of the other, then giving them your input. :3

I love your comics and diaries. :3 *hugs the lil hamham* <3

I really appreciate it when people are able to do that. X3 Sometimes it's hard enough seeing things different from how you see 'em! :3

*nods* It takes a lot to not blow up at a person opposing you and understand their point. :P

Cool, thoughtful and thought-provoking comic! :) Like people have said and you imply, it's possible to keep a possibility in your mind without just believing it, so it's not necessary to have a closed mind to avoid getting your head filled with garbage. I find that I think best and have more ideas if I don't reject ideas that seem wrong or faulty somehow, but keep them in that intermediate state. Closed-mindedness on the other hand implies refusing to even consider other ideas or actively keeping them out of our minds for some reason or another. I guess people are afraid of the possible consequences, like they'll learn something that they won't like, or at least that other people won't like, so they just push things out of their heads. And then they try to get others to do the same thing by telling them that they'll fill their minds with garbage otherwise, or something like that. X3 Older people do tend to get set in their ways, but hopefully it's possible to avoid doing that. X3 There seem to be older folks who manage to, so maybe there's hope!

And then the other extreme from refusing to consider an idea is having it in your head and not being able to get it out. That can be even harder to get rid of, but maybe sometimes people draw stuff or write stuff down or whatever because it helps them to stop obsessing over it for a while, since it feels less necessary to obsess once it's on a page, even if it'll come back again later. X3

Anyway, I'm glad you're enjoying your classes, Nish!

Heck yeah, that's the spirit! :3 It's good to keep other ideas in mind, but you don't have to believe in them to keep 'em there, and I don't think there's any real harm in that. (: But if someone wants to think that it's garbage I guess that's up to them. X3
And luckily this definitely isn't the case for all old people, I've definitely met some that are really good at not rejecting all the changes in their lives that they might not agree with or like too much. :3 And I think everyone's set in their own ways a bit, young or old, so it's probably not best that I generalize it with old people too much. X3

And it's definitely healthier getting ideas out in paper than letting 'em take over your mind. Even if you have to fill a whole notebook coming back to it. :D

I LOVE when you do things like this. They really get me thinking. You're a really really smart guy, and I appreciate you posting these up, because they give me an insight of your mind. Which always helps me out a bit too! :)

Hehe, it's fun sharing different ideas with friends, even if I feel weird about it, I'm glad you guys can enjoy 'em! :3

If you keep your mind open, people will fill it with garbage, but if you keep it closed, it will stay there forever. =P

Garbage gets way stinkier that way. 8D

Wow Nish, that is really interesting. You must really enjoy that class. Seems like you relate quite abit with those artists too. I think it is good to keep an open mind. I try to also, though sometimes it can be hard too.
I should start to draw out events that impact me alot in my life to. I don't keep a journal or anything, and as time goes on, it is getting harder for me to remember the different things that happened, and whether good or bad, I don't want to forget.
Thank you for sharing this with us Nishi. *Hugs* <:3

It'd be awesome seeing ya do stuff like that too! (: I think you're good at being polite and open about stuff. Journals can be fun to have, but hard to keep. X3 But it's fun to have something to look back on later on. (:
*Hugs* Hehe~

Really, you think it would be? <:3 Thank you. *blushy*
I like being polite but I am usually shy with some things.
Yeah, they are pretty hard to keep. Yeah, I am going to start doing highlight sketches or something.
*hugs* Hahah. <X3 Thanks again Nish.

Hehe, I can't wait to see if you do anything!

Thanks Nishi, I will try to do at least a single draw of it every once and awhile.

yes! THIS IS WHY i WAS DISAPPOINTED THAT WE SPENT ALL OF 2 WEEKS BEFORE THE END OF CLASS studying this stuff and not going very in depth.

Duchamp and Dali are my two favorites from the earlier era, in the Surrealist an Dada movements, just for the personal philosophies and joyful anarchy they brought to the scene.

Also, I think Steiglitz was fucking awesome for pretty much single-handedly showing that photography IS TOO ART, even is later after him and Virginia Woolf separated he was all like HEY GUYZ THESE FLOWERS ARE ACTUALLY VAGINAS in an attempt to discredit her. :(

Anyhow, this is also a powerful and thoughtful essay , and I think that you will continue to embody these ideals for a long time. :)

Dali is awesome. :D And Woolf is the man. There're lots of cool artists, philosophers, writers, and so on. It's too bad some classes can only brief over them, but this one I'm in is just 1890-1945 so we get to spend more time on these artists I've just briefed over in other classes too. (:

I think that's true. As I get older I have trouble being as tolerant of others as I was in my college years. We become comfortable, and that can be a synonym for "intolerant of change" if we're not careful.

Haha yup. X3 It's easy to get kinda set in your ways, and it can seem pointless to stay open when you've made it a long way and know yourself and your likes and everythin by that point.

Sounds like you hit opon someing i've noticed. People start getting set in their ways. Even when they have no choice but to deal with change.. they deny it.

People'll use any method they can to deal with life, I guess. X3

this speaks so much truth nishi

This is quite deep and thoughtful.

With regard to why it is believed Munch did what he did, I can understand that being his particular motivator. However, as you pointed out, I don't believe artists, or writers, do what they do in order to neccessarily get a moment in time right. Rather, it is to get something that is in there head out in a way that allows others to, with any luck, understand how the artist / writer feels about a particular issue, or concept.

Gertrude Stein, on the other hand, has a most profound point. The rejection of an idea truly is the start of one losing their intellectual prowess. I was seriously writing Creative Campaign 2 last night when I read this for the first time and was rejecting ideas left-and-right until I realized how, truly, I was defeating the purpose of my work by stifling my own creative process by limiting the potential array of ideas at my disposal.

Needless to say, I went with the idea I had and, big surprise, it worked out. Thus, proving the point that, creatively, we as artists / writers are our own worst enemies when it comes to the process.

As for being open minded, I'm all for having my head filled with so-called "garbage." After all, one man's trash is another man's treasure. To me, much material that has been rejected by society, and otehr sources, has proven very helpful to me. Thus, be it garbage or gold, an open mind has yet to fail me yet. :)

Haha, it is hard to be creative if you can't be open to different ideas. (: But luckily now and then we can stop ourselves from being too controlling. X3
And yay for pro-garbage! At least, I think dismissing things as garbage is too condescending for my taste, I'm sure I would'a felt pretty stupid saying certain ideas weren't garbage. X3 But I guess people that like debating ideas intensely aren't in it to be open to new things - but to push and try their own ideas against others. :B So not the best place to be to begin with. X3

I feel debating can be a good thing if, in doing so, you are open to updating your beliefs on something if you are proven to be wrong, or inadequetly informed.

There's been a few times I was quite fervent about an idea until people were kind / persistant enough to set me straight. Feels kind of disheartening at first to have an idea you long held quashed. However, in the end, hindsight reveals how much better off you are in being open to updating your way of thinking. :)

Ironically, a lot of debates I'm happy I lost were ones about myself and how I fit into the world.

For example, before starting my Masters, I would fight people persistantly on how, based on input I had received from my first college, how I was "destined for failure" by going for an MBA without any real world experience. Well, with my dad's boot up my ass, I ended up going for it and, wouldn't you know, I did even better in getting my Masters than I did in attaining my Bachelors!

Another example, if I might, is how I felt nobody could ever love me for who I was due to my visual impairment and how, honestly, I felt like I couldn't properly contribute to a quality relationship because of it. My friends, and family, felt otherwise and, on a recommendation, I went and stayed with my sister at her college just to "see what might happen" and, ta-da, I met my wife who, to this day, validates me for who I am and doesn't see me as a burden due to my poor eye sight. :)

I know, I know, You say this stuff in the past tense. But if I do nothing else in my life, if I make no other mark, I will counter this so there isn't even a lingering trace left anywhere.

You never were and never are a burden, no matter what, validation or no. To quote the Principa Discordia, you are a child of the Universe and have every right to be here. I don't care if you're Yosheo O'Ducky or Ditchdigger McDogdiddler-- everyone, EVERYONE has the right to respect, to have thier own basic humanity recognized.

The most funny thing though, is often the people who say they are open minded intellectuals are some of the most closed minded dumbasses in the world.

Haha, it's just like anyone that advertises themselves as wise, or smart, or kind, or open-minded. It just makes their bad things stand out more. 8D And it makes the people that are actually kinda like that more careful about complimenting themselves on those parts because they don't wanna seem like those people either. 8D

Course that's when things get really confusing. Cause the cruel people who say they are kind begin to realize this, and then pretend to pretend that they are actually the kind people by attempting to be more humble. Course the real kind people find this out and to not be like the cruel people who believe they are kind but attempt to be humble, they begin to say that they are kind. And then the cruel people who b...

Its like Iocane powder.