Editor 's note : Rudy Ruiz founded RedBrownandBlue.com , a site featuring multicultural political commentary , hosts a nationally syndicated Spanish-language radio show ; and wrote a guide to success for immigrants ( `` ¡Adelante ! '' published by Random House ) . He is co-founder and president of Interlex , an advocacy marketing agency based in San Antonio , Texas . Rudy Ruiz says people hold on to their views despite the evidence for fear of being labeled a flip-flopper . SAN ANTONIO , Texas ( CNN ) -- As people shout over each other and tune out diverging views in town hall meetings , the health care debate is proving to be symptomatic of a major ailment threatening our nation : . A contagious culture of closed-mindedness threatens to suffocate our progress as a society . Why has it become so difficult to even consider changing our minds about important issues ? Here 's my diagnosis . Increasingly , the willingness to change one 's position on political issues has been misread as a mark of weakness rather than a product of attentive listening and careful deliberation . During the 2004 Presidential campaign , the successful branding of John Kerry as a flip-flopper doomed his bid . Fear of `` flip-flopper syndrome '' is apparently catching like the flu , because today politicians are not alone in their determination to adhere to partisan positions despite the changing needs of our nation . Nearly everyone 's so reluctant to appear wishy-washy that they stand firm even when the evidence is against their views . Three factors exacerbate this paralysis by lack of analysis : labels , lifestyles and listening . First , the labels ascribed to many potential policy tools render sensible options taboo , loading what could be rational , economic or social measures with moral baggage . This narrows our choices , hemming in policy makers . Any proposal including the words `` government-run '' elicits cries of `` socialism '' and `` communism . '' Any argument invoking the words `` God '' or `` moral '' sparks accusations of `` right-wing extremism , '' `` fascism , '' or `` Bible-thumping . '' Instead of listening to each other 's ideas , we spot the warning label and run the other way . Second , our lifestyles favor knee-jerk reactions . The way we think , work and live in the Digital Age demands we quickly categorize information without investing time into rich interaction , research and understanding . We 're hesitant to ask questions because we do n't have time to listen to the long , complicated answers that might follow . And we lack the time to fact-check competing claims . In our haste , it 's easier to echo our party 's position than drill down , questioning whether party leaders are motivated by our best interests or the best interests of their biggest contributors . Third , we tend to listen only to like-minded opinions as media fragmentation encourages us to filter out varying perspectives . If you 're a liberal , you avoid FOX News . If you 're a conservative you revile MSNBC . The dynamic is even more pronounced online , where a niche media source can be found for any outlook . This silences the opportunity for meaningful dialogue and deliberation that might lead to reformulating positions , forging sustainable compromises , and developing consensus crucial to moving our nation forward on complex issues . So how can we overcome this challenge , starting with the health care debate ? How do we open our minds to the possibility that we could actually learn from somebody else ? Here 's my prescription . For starters , we should eschew the notion that changing our minds is a character flaw . To the contrary , experts believe it 's a manifestation of higher intelligence . Renowned psychologist Stuart Sutherland wrote in `` Irrationality , '' his seminal 1992 book : `` The willingness to change one 's mind in the light of new evidence is a sign of rationality not weakness . '' To further free our minds , we should aggressively treat the three Ls : . Let 's lose the labels : from `` flip-flopper '' to `` commie , '' from `` fear-monger '' to `` right-wing nut job . '' Trash the diatribe ; mull the ideas . Let 's engage in some constructive lifestyle management , slowing down to ponder -- and make independent decisions -- as enlightened people . We can not allow the technological evolution to rob us of the intellectual strides of the American Revolution . We must value the art of listening , reflection , comparative analysis , and civil discourse if we 're to make the most of our democracy . In the process , we should signal to leaders that we 're willing to expand our horizons beyond party lines . Maybe they 'll get in front of our parade , collaborating for a change . Let 's request a second opinion and listen to each other . Switch channels . Visit different Web sites . Read a newspaper , while we can still find one . How about stepping into a town hall with an open mind , prepared to converse with people hailing from diverse circumstances ? A range of perspectives enriches our viewpoint , empowering us to craft nuanced responses to complex situations . Ultimately , we must stop thinking that the only thing to think is what we 've thought all along . As we learn more about multifaceted matters , our positions should evolve accordingly . Let 's accept that it 's OK to change your minds . In the end , opening our minds can only enhance the prognosis for our most cherished patient : America . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Rudy Ruiz .
Rudy Ruiz : It 's become unfashionable to have an open mind about issues . He says labels like `` socialism '' and `` fascism '' obscure the real choices . He says it 's a sign of rationality to be open to the evidence . 00:52:04 Let 's listen to each other and take into consideration wider range of viewpoints .