# best retort to "you're being closed minded" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 18, 2011, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-retort-to-youre-being-closed-minded/585983 "2011-06-18T23:16:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Shig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shig)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-retort-to-youre-being-closed-minded/585983/1 "2011-06-18T23:16:14Z")
I’ve heard people say this before and am looking for a way to reply without sounding like an arrogant prick. Most recent example is from a girl I know who was talking about a picture her mom took of her before she went to a job interview in which there were “orbs” around or near her. These “orbs” were a good sign she said. Well upon disagreeing I was told that if I would be a little more open-minded than maybe I would believe in them. My only thought at that moment is to replace her adjective with something like “uneducated,” or “gullible,” or something else that will seem rude. I’m a bit offended at her calling me closed-minded though, since I am certainly not, I am just skeptical of rubbish. Suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-retort-to-youre-being-closed-minded/585983/2 "2011-06-18T23:19:23Z")
“I am rubber, you are glue; bounce off me and stick to you!” ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-retort-to-youre-being-closed-minded/585983/3 "2011-06-18T23:21:28Z")
“By all means let’s be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out.” Richard Dawkins ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-retort-to-youre-being-closed-minded/585983/4 "2011-06-18T23:22:01Z")
“I come from a state that raises corn and cotton and cockleburs and Democrats, and frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I am from Missouri. You have got to show me.” ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-retort-to-youre-being-closed-minded/585983/5 "2011-06-18T23:26:09Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > “By all means let’s be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out.” > Richard Dawkins **Qadgop** stole my answer. ---
**Author:** ![Shig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Shig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shig)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-retort-to-youre-being-closed-minded/585983/6 "2011-06-18T23:27:05Z")
Yes, these are wonderful, but like I said, without coming across to someone as rude or sarcastic. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-retort-to-youre-being-closed-minded/585983/7 "2011-06-18T23:28:48Z")
Your proofs are unconvincing. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-retort-to-youre-being-closed-minded/585983/8 "2011-06-18T23:31:13Z")
Well, in that case, a modified version of what you yourself said in the OP: “I’m not closed-minded; I’m just skeptical.” Followed, perhaps, by, “There’s no convincing evidence for what you say.” ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-retort-to-youre-being-closed-minded/585983/9 "2011-06-18T23:34:09Z")
> [@Shig](#): > > I’m a bit offended at her calling me closed-minded though, since I am certainly not, I am just skeptical of rubbish. Suggestions? But if you were then wouldn’t you be the last to know? 😉 I doubt there is a factual answer to this question. How someone defines ‘open-minded’ is variable. And how someone else might respond to whatever your response might be to them is too. Personally, in this type of situation with orbs or spirits or the like, I just ask for evidence. “I would actually love it if that were true, but the darn thing is I just can’t seem to find any actual evidence.” That way you remain ‘open-minded’ , eagerly listening for any new evidence that might change your current opinion, while still maintaining a voice of reason based on the current evidence that you have available. ---
**Author:** ![Shig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Shig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shig)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-retort-to-youre-being-closed-minded/585983/10 "2011-06-18T23:36:22Z")
> [@Crazyhorse](#): > > But if you were then wouldn’t you be the last to know? 😉 > > I doubt there is a factual answer to this question. How someone defines ‘open-minded’ is variable. And how someone else might respond to whatever your response might be to them is too. > > Personally, in this type of situation with orbs or spirits or the like, I just ask for evidence. “I would actually love it if that were true, but the darn thing is I just can’t seem to find any actual evidence.” That way you remain ‘open-minded’ , eagerly listening for any new evidence that might change your current opinion, while still maintaining a voice of reason based on the current evidence that you have available. Beautiful!! Thank-you. I’m stealing every line of this. Case closed. ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-retort-to-youre-being-closed-minded/585983/11 "2011-06-18T23:36:57Z")
> [@Shig](#): > > Yes, these are wonderful, but like I said, without coming across to someone as rude or sarcastic. Well the answer is always boring: think about what you think and why you think it and explain that to them. My own answer would be something along the lines of “I strive to be open-minded, but for me being open-minded is not believing everything that’s put to me, but rather not rejecting something outright an examing it on it’s individual merits. I have examined the concept of ‘orbs’ and have concluded that they are almost certainly created by particles of [usually] dust as I find this explanation far more convincing than the supernatural expalnations that have been proffered” ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-retort-to-youre-being-closed-minded/585983/12 "2011-06-18T23:39:08Z")
“I find your argument unpersuasive.” ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-retort-to-youre-being-closed-minded/585983/13 "2011-06-18T23:39:33Z")
It isn’t the same question, but I used to know a few people who would spew all sorts of nonsense and then when I questioned it or just plain didn’t believe them, would tell me that I needed to be more open minded. My response was “I notice that every time you say that I should be more open minded, what you seem to be saying is that I should believe everything you say without reservation.” ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-retort-to-youre-being-closed-minded/585983/14 "2011-06-18T23:40:20Z")
As usual answers to most questions can be found by reading _[the Family Circus](http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/8308/347l.jpg)_ ---
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-retort-to-youre-being-closed-minded/585983/15 "2011-06-18T23:41:29Z")
I would go silent. Say nothing. The person would probably babble on for some time and then get bored and go find someone else to talk to. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-retort-to-youre-being-closed-minded/585983/16 "2011-06-18T23:42:59Z")
[moderating] Moved from GQ to IMHO. [/moderating] ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2011, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-retort-to-youre-being-closed-minded/585983/17 "2011-06-19T00:20:08Z")
I am interested in your ideas and would like to subscribe to your newsletter. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2011, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-retort-to-youre-being-closed-minded/585983/18 "2011-06-19T01:39:06Z")
> [@janeslogin](#): > > I would go silent. Say nothing. The person would probably babble on for some time and then get bored and go find someone else to talk to. It works even better if you have something shiny to toss for them to follow… oops… ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2011, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-retort-to-youre-being-closed-minded/585983/19 "2011-06-19T02:23:37Z")
Wait. What the hell is an “orb” and what does it look like in a photo? Sounds like maybe point sources of light in [bokeh](http://www.google.com/search?hl=&q=bokeh&sourceid=navclient-ff&rlz=1B3GPCK_enUS354US414&ie=UTF-8&biw=1680&bih=892&tbm=isch)to me. The way to respond to this is to know enough to explain what perfectly normal physical phenomenon is responsible for the thing that she is interpreting as some paranormal nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2011, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-retort-to-youre-being-closed-minded/585983/20 "2011-06-19T02:30:22Z")
Unlike the situation in the OP . . . Sometimes when you’re accused of being closed-minded, you really are closed-minded. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-retort-to-youre-being-closed-minded/585983.md?page=2)