Houston H. Haynes

If one is invested in entertaining only agreeable ideas – then it is a life wasted, and the sole contribution to the world is in extending its impoverishment. That’s not to say that one should agree with every idea that passes through. There is an equal level of bankruptcy in the lack of intellectual and moral ballast. But to refuse to allow new ideas an opportunity for exploration – even if the sum total is to arrive at precisely the same conclusion as had been originally hypothesized – is to deny the opportunity for personal growth and the potential betterment of society. At a minimum, it often provides the tools that one needs to communicate with those that hold dearly to the opposing view, an admirable goal in and of itself. One must constantly seek to challenge assumptions, tear down insular notions, and make an honest appraisal of long-held beliefs. By faithfully testing ideas of self against the world, both are likely to improve.