AN OPEN MIND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18576, 26 September 1928, Page 13

AN OPEN MIND.

MAKES ITS OWNER MORE INTERESTING. When Claire was invited to meet Daphne, she was pleased until she heard that Daphne was a nurse, then she said, “ I hate nurses,” and refused. When a friend spoke enthusiastically about a certain French teacher, Claire said scornfully, “ I hate foreigners,” and took no interest, and when she was asked to join a motor tour she saffr, “ I hate motoring,” and so missed all the fun. Her hasty judgments are exasperating becaus-c they arc based on such flimsy pretexts. She hates all nurses because she was once nursed by one she disliked, all foreigners because the only one she has met happened to tell lies, all motor-cars because .she has previously driven only in a stuffy closed car. It is the same with her other betes noires poets, red-haired people, women police, teachers—all are condemned without a fair trial PREJUDICED! The suggestion that all members of one class are not alike is met with unbelief. Yet, if Claire is inveigled against her knowledge into meeting a member of one of the despised classes she usually has a pleasant surprise. Don’t let your mind run in a groove. Prejudiced people arc not popular. If you can make up your mind and form judgments quickly you have a valuable gift. But they should be considered judgments, not mere opinions on subjects of which you know very, little.