Let’s keep this simple:
What happens to you (experience), or what you see happen to others (observation) is going to form what you believe about yourself, others and the world.
For example: If you see women crashing a car can become a belief that women can’t drive.
If 3 mechanics in a row overcharge you for car repair becomes a belief that all mechanics are crooks.
However, the problem with all this is that your judgment is limited to your only experience and knowledge. Only by observing the facts can you make a conclusion. However, if you don’t have enough knowledge or experience behind, your story about the facts will be limited. Thus, your judgment will be limited too.
When somebody is talking with you, are they talking about their judgment and using words like “you shouldn’t”, “you see people are like that…”, or “This is how things are..” or are they talking about their experience?
When our parents want to make a point to us about how life works, we don’t always agree. And then when we doubt it they usually say.. “You do not have enough experience, you will see”
Dad: “You can never be rich..”
Son: “But Dad, that’s not true..”
Dad: “You will see son..you have to know somebody to be rich… you don’t have enough experience”
Most of the time, people will not say “My experience was this and this” but they will usually express their belief about the experience.
Pay attention if the people are trying to stimulate your thinking or if are they trying to push you into a belief and believe everything they say and “trust” their experience. Notice when talking with somebody and observing his way of talking.
When somebody says “Trust my experience” what he is really saying is “Believe my judgment”
Wisdom is understanding multiple sides of the issue. Wisdom is not “knowing a lot of stuff”.
But notice how you, as you are reading this, went into judging the people that talk about their beliefs. Not once have you considered the point of people who talk about their beliefs instead of their experience? What is their positive intention here? Or have you?
It’s not about who is right or wrong, it’s about understanding the other side and not saying this is right and this is wrong. It is simply observing what is and reporting the observation.
Closed-mindedness is when a person is closing his mind to understanding other people’s points of view because of fear that they might change their own view of thinking.
And that happens because the person hasn’t given enough thought to the issue, and is leaning on his own limited experience only and on his made belief of the experience.
So in conclusion, every statement you make is, in your eyes the truth, but with expanding knowledge, it will be tomorrow’s lie.
So anytime you say that you know something for sure, you are probably not telling the truth.