Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.

Just because an idea or a view point is different, doesn't necessarily mean it is wrong.

If there is logic to the point, then why not consider it properly. Is it really that hard to open one's mind a little bit for sometime and allow a new thought to enter?

If you oppose new ideas just because they are new, there can be no progress. Questioning what is readily accepted doesn't necessarily mean that you are opposin it.

In all likelihood, there is a logic to it which one isn't aware of and by questioning it, s/he seeks to find THAT LOGIC. If a logical conclusion isn't arrived at, then there is no harm in accepting something else which makes logical sense.

Think about it. There was a time when people believed that the earth is flat. That's just one. There were tons of things that were readily accepted once, and aren't accepted today because someone decided to question them, or came up with a better logic.

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without completely accepting it.

I am not saying that everything proposed should be accepted, but at least consider it. Even if it threatens to shatter your entire belief system. Again, I am not saying you HAVE TO ACCEPT EVERY NEW VIEW, but do give it it's due and consider it. If it makes logical sense, accept it. If it doesn't, discard it.

Just because something has been going on for years or decades or centuries, doesn't make it RIGHT (tons of examples for that too.. like Sati, child marriage, female infanticide, slavery etc etc.).

It might not solve the problems of poverty or starvation or reduce the crime rate or improve the economy over night.. or anything like that - but changing the earlier view of 'EARTH IS FLAT' - didn't solve those problems either. It did answer some questions and of course it made many individuals think in a different way, thereby paving the way for new inventions and discoveries.

Not every new idea will make logical sense - I agree.. but you won't know that until you've considered the idea and thought it over. Just don't discard a different opinion because it happens to be different.