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John Stuart Mill advocated the appreciation of others' opinions. Without them, he said, we cannot know any more than we already know. And, what if someone has a valuable idea which is inadvertently suppressed because no one valued that person's opinions? All of these thoughts worried Mill, and they should rightfully worry us, as well.

Sometimes, we do not value others' opinions because we often feel that ours is much more important. In the case of personal affairs, we have varying degrees of this situation presented to us. Some people will be more open-minded than others, and they will be able to value other people's opinions. On the other hand, some people have grown up in an environment that conditioned them to think that people's opinions are not important.

However, freedom of speech has forced those same people to be more accepting of differing opinions from their own. Freedom of speech has always been valued in the American community, not only because Americans have a tradition of differing opinions but also because America is thought to be the protector of that freedom. Throughout American history, however, people have exercised that freedom and have been victimized for it. So, how do we learn from those mistakes and learn to value others' opinions?

We have to teach each other the value, first and foremost. For instance, if we acknowledge that a handful of opinions, even if they all differ, is better than a few similar opinions, we can find ourselves in a better situation. The difference that exists between a handful of differing opinions and a handful of a few similar opinions is that the former is able to bring together many types of ideas from many viewpoints. In this way, the idea itself is better examined. On the other hand, the latter can only study one aspect of the idea.

Getting closer to the truth is pertinent to this discussion. If we study many aspects of one idea, we have a better chance of finding the truth. But, if we don't study the many aspects of one idea, we're stuck to what we already know. In the end, we may have to stick to current traditions and customs, an action which does not allow society to progress. Therefore, if we want to reap all the benefits that opinions can give us, and if we want to get closer to the truths to which we have potential access, then we have to be open to all forms of opinions, even if they differ from our own.

Learn more about this author, Joan Inong.
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