Addressing emotions and undermining intellect

We cannot say that there a neutral media exists, because each side has their point of view or agenda, or follow the school of thought. This is not a problem; each has the right to submit what they think, but within respectable norms of honoring the media profession; that is to report the facts as they are, and then works to clarify matters through logical argument and documented evidence. In other words: To address the mind and not to stir up emotions and agitate the public to ensure their support.
Nor can they succeed in that, were not the minds that they are dealing with have been trained to take what has been pumped into them from the beginning, and then work on closing all other channels of thought, but rather sealing it, so that it does not accept any other opinion. So that if anyone presents a new or different perspective must be the enemy that must be attacked.
What we see today is that many of us have become people with fully functioning senses, but with closed minds. We currently live in the digital information age and virtual space invades our daily lives, so we must recognize that we are facing an important and vital challenge. Do we welcome this influx of information with open minds that enable us to study the information correctly, by analyzing and critiquing without being judgmental and jumping to conclusions? Or do we hurry to acceptance and conveyance of information without exercising our intellect?
Unfortunately, many of us have shut down our minds and handed over the key to a technical portal that pumps information in our direction, day and night and gave it the right to control our convictions and decisions, which have become distorted and far from real facts. And that the least that can be said about the results, is gross misunderstanding, the worst, a serious sedition and division among the people!
The best way to describe a closed mind is as follows: Imagine yourself in a small room, with closed up windows and doors, no breeze or light can penetrate this isolated room. After a period of time you will feel suffocated, and you may reach the point of hallucination. In the same way, the mind is closed and prevented from thinking on its own, understanding and reflecting upon of all that outside world holds information. A person becomes narrow-minded, shortsighted and accepting any non-viable information that addresses his emotions even though it undermines his intellect.
When the human mind is not formatted to be open to the opinions of others, it finds it difficult to adapt quickly to changes and therefore rejects them. It is difficult for a person to form relationships with those who do not think the same way, as he freezes his mental capacity to think, and does not accept nor listen to any sources other than his usual sources, or fights any other opinion, even if it is equipped with proof and evidence. Therefore, it is difficult to argue with this kind of person, even if he has all the arguments and evidence in front of him, and this is very dangerous; that is dealing with those who reject hard facts.
Yet with total surrender, they are ready to accept the lies that could reach high levels of absurdity and offensiveness. Try to have a dialogue with him from his point of view and of course he will be more than willing to share all that is on his mind. For many owners of closed minds find that their mouths automatically open and words pour out of them like water. Concentrate on what he says and you’ll discover that most of his information is limited to a single reference, so you’ll find that his openness to others, or even to the world around him, is either mere pretense, or is met with blatant disregard.
We find in this world there are many who want to learn, and want to exercise their intellect, but are prevented from doing so. And those of us, who are supposed to be well educated, deprive ourselves from thinking. logic and experience say that we will not gain knowledge or understand anything without research in order to learn but we cannot do that if our minds are closed to anything new.
Ultimately if we allow anyone, in any way to close our minds, this means that we have allowed them to possess and master our future.
Yes, the past is over and done with, but the present is now in our hands. Either we allow it to take us to a wide-open future or shoot us back into the abyss of ignorance.
That is, if thinking was still in our own hands! In essence only the truth will we free our minds. Nothing but the truth will give us the strength, the truth that we actually search for ourselves and not just fed to us. Let us examine closely, research and then analyze. Let us communicate to build bridges that were destroyed because of our self imposed ignorance, then we will see new doors open and outstretched hands instead of immobility and guarded closed doors.

• Courtesy of Alwatan newspaper