The Audacity of Openmindedness Anonymous

The two party system of American politics is obsolete. Politicians need to recognize the futility of polarization and instead realize that it is moderation and increased openmindedness that better serves the interests of the public. Instead of only trying to prove the other side wrong, politicians should be more accepting of positive aspects from the opposing party’s viewpoint. My own openmindedness has proven useful not only in school and extracurriculars, it has also helped me gain a fuller appreciation of many other facets of life.

In my involvement on the policy debate team, I have found open-mindedness, innovation, and creative problem solving is rewarded. While I never hesitated to attack the negatives of an opposing team’s arguments, I always find it necessary to acknowledge their obvious positive aspects in order to appear more credible to the judge. Ignoring their positive issues or writing them off as unimportant would not help me win an argument; it would only make the judge more sympathetic to the other team. Only by acknowledging their strengths could I develop a more meaningful discussion of the issue that would illustrate to the judge true understanding and engagement. Approaching topics with an open mind allows...