Preconceptions are the seed-bed of prejudice and persistence in holding on to established narratives in the brain. They neither allow fresh discovery nor readjustment of 'ideas and opinions' for broadening of view and approximating more to truth. Fanaticism is the extreme version of this refusal to learn and this settled conviction in a particular narrative of an episode or a principle, which has been the bane of human civilisation. It is, therefore, imperative that we take it upon ourselves to know more, communicate what we know and keep ourselves open to knowledge coming in from all quarters, for, as our scriptures say, knowledge coming even from one who is lower down in the social hierarchy must be reverentially accepted and absorbed. Only then does civilisation flourish. Knowing this to be true then, we should be patient in lending our ears to civilised criticism and decent in giving our rejoinder thereof. Bande Mataram!
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