Community Chat

[chickenbutt]

I don't think that recognizing the narrow view of some is doling out an insult or anything.  I know, speaking for me anyway, that it just a statement of fact.

Some people are not exposed to anything except one very specific, and narrow, set of views.  They are invested in believing that these things are the one and only truth.

They don't, generally speaking, know how to accept a broader view because of being invested.  If you went through life believing one very narrow set of views about everything, you are truly invested in that.   To have something else brought into that causes confusion and insecurity.   Therefore, with exceptions of course, most will reject anything that is outside what they 'know'.

Life is complicated, for sure!  

[CrazyDaisy]

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@Noel7 wrote:

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@CrazyDaisy wrote:

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@Noel7 wrote:

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@CrazyDaisy wrote:

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@itiswhatitis wrote:

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@CrazyDaisy wrote:

While that may be an interesting study,anyone posting here would only be doing so on conjecture or limited to their personal experiences. 

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Why do you say this @CrazyDaisy.

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Because everyone will answer this question based upon thier own experience and belief system.  As an example, if you have never met, spoken or gotten to know a person from the Amish community you will have a very different percieption than someone who has.

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That's not really true, there have been numerous studies on cloistered groups.  These things are studied in Sociology and Anthropology.

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Well since the question did not ask for the discussion of specific studies, rather individual answers I stand by my reply.

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You can't assume everyone bases their opinion on their own experience/belief system.  Some study for years or have traveled and experienced contact with different groups.

Anyone can go to the library and pick up a book about any subject and expand their knowledge. 

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Yes you can read a book, yet not every book says the same thing.   

[itiswhatitis]

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@Moonchilde wrote:

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@itiswhatitis wrote:

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@Moonchilde wrote:

I have known and continue to know people who firmly believe that if they haven't personally experienced something, don't have a close friend or family member who has experienced something, or "have never heard" of something - it simply doesn't exist, isn't true, cannot be and anyone who insists otherwise exaggerates, is a liar, stupid, etc., etc.

I have never seen a common denominator among them as to worldliness or lack thereof, insulation in a "community" or anything like that. In fact I'd say more the opposite in my personal experience - IMO it's often people who should "know better" as they *have* been exposed to a variety of peoples, situations and viewpoints.

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What you describe is choice.  No hindrances to knowledge of other cultures.  

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The OP asks:  

Do you think people that grew up in or live socially cloistered lives tend to be more inflexible in their thinking, tolerance and acceptance of differences than those from more diverse communities?

For the purpose of this discussion "socially cloistered" means an environment where nearly everyone has the same background and exposures that would limit how they see society beyond their individual experiences (i.e., I've never seen/heard that, who would think that way, that can't be true).

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My response was that I don't believe being socially cloistered is the only, or even a major, deciding factor in intolerance. It *might* be, and sometimes is, but my own experience has been that the most UNcloistered have the capacity to be just as intolerant as anyone else.

CAN the socially isolated be intolerant? Yes.

Are ONLY the socially isolated intolerant? No.

Once socially isolated, always socially isolated, ever unchanging in outlook and POV? Perhaps, but not necessarily. It's not a given.

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I agree with what you said.  The ones who are intolerant who are not socially isolated are doing so by CHOICE!

[chickenbutt]

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Noel7 wrote:

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CrazyDaisy wrote:

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chickenbutt wrote:

There are some religious societies that are pretty cloistered, even still.  You are only allowed to believe certain things, think a certain way, and consider everybody who doesn't think like you, or believe what you believe, to be the dammed.  

Stuff like that leaves a pretty narrow world view.

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A narrow view of the world still would not make a person or society intolerant or not accepting of differences. 

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It usually does.  If people aren't introduced to a variety of ideas they usually don't learn to think on their own, or they may not consider new information that challenges what they already think.

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Exactly.   It's conditioning.  Sure, some will break out of it and acquire a broader view, learning to understand that life is so much more faceted.  Some won't and will continue on feeling that everything is as they were told it was because that is comfortable and secure for them.

[Noel7]

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@chickenbutt wrote:

I don't think that recognizing the narrow view of some is doling out an insult or anything.  I know, speaking for me anyway, that it just a statement of fact.

Some people are not exposed to anything except one very specific, and narrow, set of views.  They are invested in believing that these things are the one and only truth.

They don't, generally speaking, know how to accept a broader view because of being invested.  If you went through life believing one very narrow set of views about everything, you are truly invested in that.   To have something else brought into that causes confusion and insecurity.   Therefore, with exceptions of course, most will reject anything that is outside what they 'know'.

Life is complicated, for sure!  

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And people can understand the views of others without agreeing with them.

[CrazyDaisy]

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@ChynnaBlue wrote:

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@CrazyDaisy wrote:

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@itiswhatitis wrote:

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@CrazyDaisy wrote:

While that may be an interesting study,anyone posting here would only be doing so on conjecture or limited to their personal experiences. 

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Why do you say this @CrazyDaisy.

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Because everyone will answer this question based upon thier own experience and belief system.  As an example, if you have never met, spoken or gotten to know a person from the Amish community you will have a very different percieption than someone who has.

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Or we can respond based on other evidence. Urban areas are more liberal than rural areas. Rural areas are much conservative.That's a fact and has been known for some time. It doesn't mean you won't find conservatives in the city or liberals in rural areas, but there's a definite pattern of cities being more liberal and rural areas being more conservative.

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SO are you saying that conservatives are intolorant and less accepting of differences?

[Moonchilde]

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@CrazyDaisy wrote:

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@chickenbutt wrote:

There are some religious societies that are pretty cloistered, even still.  You are only allowed to believe certain things, think a certain way, and consider everybody who doesn't think like you, or believe what you believe, to be the dammed.  

Stuff like that leaves a pretty narrow world view.

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A narrow view of the world still would not make a person or society intolerant or not accepting of differences. 

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What I'm seeing in the thread already is that some people are interpreting the OP as a whole and some are zeroing in on specifics. 

The OP did not specify color or creed. The OP mentioned tolerance, among other things. I interpret that, and I think @CrazyDaisy might as well, as not just racial or religious tolerence, but tolerance of others' appearance, politics, choice in furniture or clothes, their favorite ice cream flavor, or their latest doctor visit, or any one of a zillion other things.

There are people who are just plain intolerant of anything and anyone that doesn't match their experience in life, and being socially cloistered has nothing to do with it. There are people who have been socially cloistered who are not at all intolerant. A cloistered group may not *understand* others, but "not understanding" does not automatically equate to intolerance.

[Noel7]

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@CrazyDaisy wrote:

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@Noel7 wrote:

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@CrazyDaisy wrote:

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@Noel7 wrote:

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@CrazyDaisy wrote:

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@itiswhatitis wrote:

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@CrazyDaisy wrote:

While that may be an interesting study,anyone posting here would only be doing so on conjecture or limited to their personal experiences. 

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Why do you say this @CrazyDaisy.

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Because everyone will answer this question based upon thier own experience and belief system.  As an example, if you have never met, spoken or gotten to know a person from the Amish community you will have a very different percieption than someone who has.

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That's not really true, there have been numerous studies on cloistered groups.  These things are studied in Sociology and Anthropology.

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Well since the question did not ask for the discussion of specific studies, rather individual answers I stand by my reply.

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You can't assume everyone bases their opinion on their own experience/belief system.  Some study for years or have traveled and experienced contact with different groups.

Anyone can go to the library and pick up a book about any subject and expand their knowledge. 

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Yes you can read a book, yet not every book says the same thing.   

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And that's where critical thinking comes in.  That, and weighing the evidence.

[Imadickens]

I think you answered your own question! Obviously most people who have only been exposed to one way of thinking and have had limited exposure to ideas other than the "clan" believes would have no reason to think otherwise or question the "ideals" of "the clan!" In a small way isn't this what religion is? Those of us who are say, Presbyterian don't find some things as sinful as Catholics might. Jews want to grow their population so they try to ensure their children only marry other Jews. When people do begin to question those ideals, either they are excommunicated or if enough people question the basic tenets of the religion, other forms of that religion are formed. This is also what scares me about home schooling. I've had close friends home school their children. They told me they couldn't bear to have their children in class with "those" children. Now, they never really defined "those children" but it became obvious to me that they were anyone who weren't as " bright, special, talented, clean, white, " you fill in the adjective, as their children! What they were really doing is secluding their problem children so no one would find out they were troubled, or trying to control the environment around their kids! Obviously I am not implying all home schooled children are like this. There are some good reasons to teach children at home. However, I believe (notice, I said " I " believe this, I am not saying this is fact written in stone) for the most part people choose to home school to make sure their children are not exposed to ideas they don't agree with. But, unless they are going to become part of a cult, they are not preparing their children for life in the real world. Wouldn't it be better to let every child be exposed to all sides of a question, then, after intelligent discussion at home, let the child make up his or her own mind, hoping you have laid a good foundation for children to make choices that align with family beliefs?

[CrazyDaisy]

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@Noel7 wrote:

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@CrazyDaisy wrote:

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@chickenbutt wrote:

There are some religious societies that are pretty cloistered, even still.  You are only allowed to believe certain things, think a certain way, and consider everybody who doesn't think like you, or believe what you believe, to be the dammed.  

Stuff like that leaves a pretty narrow world view.

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A narrow view of the world still would not make a person or society intolerant or not accepting of differences. 

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It usually does.  If people aren't introduced to a variety of ideas they usually don't learn to think on their own, or they may not consider new information that challenges what they already think.

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Just have to disagree.  You are making sweeping generalizations about groups of people based upon what. Your personal experiences and beliefs.