It's Okay To Change Your Mind
You're not always going to be right. If you've ever taken a test or an internet quiz, you might get a good score, but chances are that you didn't get every single question correct. You're going to have to learn one way or another that you don't know everything, that there is always something new for you to learn, and due to that, you may change your mind.
Changing your mind doesn't make you flip flopper. If you change your mind on a specific issue every minute, then yes, you are a flip flopper. If you change your position on an issue after learning new information, gaining a new perspective, and really thinking about it, then that's a good thing.
When I was younger, I was supportive of the death penalty. I supported the idea that if someone did something so heinous such as murdering another human being, they deserved the death penalty. I thought this way for years, until I learned more information. I learned that it costs more to send a person to death than life in prison. When I learned about the biases in the criminal justice system, I learned that the death penalty disproportionally affects Black men. Then I learned about how there is a small minority of people who were put to death and later found innocent. What ultimately convinced me was knowing that there was always a possibility (however small) of putting to death an innocent person, due to the flaws of the justice system. I changed my position on the death penalty, and I’m okay with that.
The social notion of "colorblindness” is something that a lot of people have changed their perspectives on. It's when someone tells you, "I don't see you as a Black person" or "I don't see color." It comes from an old way of thinking that promoted colorblindness as a way of avoiding racism. If you mentioned race, it could be considered racist, so people just didn't talk about it. As well-intentioned as it was, people know better now.
Acknowledging people's race is acknowledging a part of them. You are seeing them as a whole person instead of a raceless version of them that is easy for the general public to digest. Trying to see them through colorblind lenses is inherently flawed. You don't truly see their experiences, their struggles, or their personal identity. So when we see people, we see their race, their culture, their experiences, and how that shapes each person’s individual identity, characteristics, and perspective.
Changing your mind doesn't mean that you're a bad person; it means that you're learning and growing. It's okay if what you thought was correct in the past turns out to be inaccurate; you know better now. By learning, you are developing as a human being, and imagine how this world would be if everyone became more enlightened people.
Roderick Conwi is the Executive Editor at Nourishment Notes. He is also the author of The Procrastinator's Quick Guide To Getting It Done. To get powerful insights that enhance your day, join his free newsletter.
