Cast in iron, I won’t break and I won’t bend.

One of the greatest and most important qualities we possess as human beings is our ability to adapt and change. It’s a quality that sets us apart from so many of the other living, breathing inhabitants of this planet (not to mention the non-living, non-breathing ones). We use a variety of tools and methods to adapt to our surroundings. We use our varying mental capacities to accept and adjust to myriad situations. We’re able to receive and process a never ending flow of information, constantly updating that which we’ve previously amassed in light of what’s coming in at any given moment. We are able to change our minds.

And yet, now more than ever before, it seems that steadfastly holding onto rigid beliefs and systems of thought, while at the same time raising our voices and symbolically plugging our ears in the faces of those who may question those systems, has become the preferred (the sole accepted?) form of public discourse. God forbid we appear “wishy washy.” God forbid we exhibit a willingness to engage in dialogue. To actually hear and respond to each other in thoughtful and open-minded ways, recognizing that it is only in that dialogue, that exchange of ideas, that true progress can be made.

I used to hate vegetables. We’re talking nose-turning, stomach-churning disgust. And yet, out of a willingness to continue trying new things, I’ve changed to the point where I can’t think of a single one I wouldn’t eat now. If I had stuck with that initial pre-adolescent impression and not continued testing those waters, I’d be denying myself a huge amount of pleasure and satisfaction as an adult. I love to eat, and I love to eat just about everything. And to think, I may not have known that.

How crazy is it that we, as humans, have the ability to dislike or be disgusted by something at one time, and then later grow to like (or even love) that same thing? What changes, physiological or otherwise, occur to make something taste disgusting to us one day and delicious the next (or vice versa)? And of course, food is just one silly example. I used to hate sports (and pretty much all physical activity), but somewhere along the road of life became exceedingly active and pretty damn athletic. I used to love musical theater, and now have little to no patience for it. Years ago, I was an ardent supporter of capital punishment, and now, feel quite the opposite. I used to date only girls, but that’s since expanded to include some boys. Rum has always disgusted me, but now I...oh wait. I still can’t stomach the stuff. Even the smell of it makes me ill.

The point is, beliefs can change. And they should. Or at least, they should be changeable. It’s how we, as humans, interact with our environment and our surroundings. The rigid will always break. The flexible will become strong and survive. It scares me to see how rigid we, as a society, seem to be becoming. Not necessarily as individuals—I know many individuals, and a lot of them seem pretty flexible. (Though it may be a mistake to equate passivity with flexibility.) But institutionally, ideologically, I see little flexibility (or even passivity) these days. It’s all “I’m right” all the time, and “if I’m right then you’re wrong and if you’re wrong, well then, no way in hell am I listening to you.”

Come on people. We need to learn to sit down, shut up, and listen to each other. So let’s pour ourselves a drink (or five) and try to hear what “the other” has to say. Here’s to that.

For that, you could even pour me some rum.