Life of the Closed Mind

Life of the Closed Mind

                The general argument made by Anna Quindlen in her work, Life of the Closed Mind is that ever since the terrorist attack from September 11, we have all become “polar” (page 67). We either think that there’s only good and bad. More specifically, Quindlen argues that we are only looking at things that we believe in, rather than exploring other views. She writes, “Since September 11 we’ve become more like them. The essence of the way zealots think about the world has only two views: good and evil, holy and profane, them and us” (page 67). In this passage, Quindlen is suggesting that we have hardened ourselves to only think a certain way, rather than opening up our minds to listen to what others have to say about what they believe in. In conclusion, it is Quindlen’s belief that we have all shut our minds off when it comes to listening to others and won’t give ourselves a chance to have a change of mind.

                In my view, Quindlen is right because we have all been petrified by what the terrorists did to our people and our country. For example, when the Trade Center fell, it was absolutely horrifying that something like this could happen to America; the freest country in the world with numerous opportunities and big dreams. Once this terrifying event happened, the people’s thoughts are now full of two absolute conclusions about opinions. We really are thinking like “them”.  However, because we are afraid of “them”, or that certain ethnicity that attacked us, it shouldn’t mean that we ought to be hateful towards every person that is a part of the Middle Eastern race. It was the people of al-Qaeda who were involved in this heinous act. Although Quindlen might object to my view on the Middle Eastern people, I maintain my opinion because I’m trying hard not to be closed minded like many other people might be. Therefore, I conclude that people need to stop being so narrow minded on the Middle Eastern culture and start seeing that it’s a group of people that ruined the reputations of others and gained that infamous title of “terrorists”.