We don't know what we don't know. So having a closed mind to any and all possibilities doesn't seem very wise to me. Open-minded or close-minded? Which is the better way to be in life and why?

It changes back and forth.

In a stable and prosperous society it is better to be close minded and just believing in the local PC whatever it is. That way you sell more of whatever you want to sell, get a better seat at church, etc.

But in times of trouble it is best to "think for yourself" and find the new opportunities rather than cling to the old ones.

The strange thing is that what we usually do is the exact opposite ;-)) When people feel threatened they tend to cling even harder to 'the Good Old Ways' and refuse to try anything different ("it worked so well for grandpapa, didnt it?"). Thankfully children do not suffer as much from this as adults do, so after a while prosperity and happiness is allowed to return.

Are you open minded Rosie? Aren't we all pretty set in the views that matter to us? I don't think I'd be open to arguments defending trophy hunting or for example. How open are you in terms of argument defending some.of the.views sponsored by Trump, for example.
I think we value open mindedness in as much as it's the other guys mind the one being open.