"新しい意見は常に疑われ、通常は反対されるが、それにはすでに一般的でないという以外の理由はない。"

People tend to be wary of fresh ideas. They often meet new opinions with suspicion and resistance, and not because they've carefully considered them, but simply because those ideas haven't been widely accepted yet.

Imagine it's the early 20th century, and you're living in a world where women can't vote. It’s not that people have concrete reasons for opposing women's suffrage—many just believe things should stay as they are because it’s what they know. When activists like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton started advocating for women’s voting rights, they encountered intense opposition. People thought, “Why change something that has always been this way?” They didn't have logical arguments against women's suffrage; they were just uncomfortable with the new idea.

Let’s think of a more recent example. Remember when electric cars first came on the scene? Folks were skeptical. They thought, “Electric cars? Those will never work!” Gasoline cars had been the norm for so long that the idea of switching to something different seemed absurd. But look around today. Tesla’s success has flipped the script. What seemed odd and unfeasible is now increasingly common. Those initial skeptics didn’t hate electric cars because they had solid evidence against them—they were just unfamiliar with the concept.

So, how do you apply this wisdom in your own life? Next time you hear a new idea, pause. Don’t reject it outright. Ask yourself: Am I opposing this because it doesn’t make sense, or because it’s unfamiliar? Give yourself the chance to really consider the merits of the idea. You might find it has value you hadn't seen at first. Open-mindedness can lead to innovation and progress.

Picture this: You’re at work, and a colleague suggests changing the way your team manages projects. Instead of using the traditional method, they propose a new software that promises to streamline everything. Your first instinct might be to resist. You've used the same system for years, and it works fine, right? But remember, resisting just because it’s different isn’t justified. Ask for a demo, look into the benefits, and weigh them against the potential drawbacks. You might find that the new system saves you time and reduces errors, making your work life easier.

Here’s a little story to bring it home. A friend of mine, let’s call him John, was a hardcore coffee drinker. He couldn’t start his day without a cup (or three) of the stuff. Then, his doctor suggested replacing coffee with green tea for health reasons. John was resistant. He loved his coffee. It was part of his routine. But after some thought—and a bit of cajoling—he decided to give it a try. The first few days were rough, but soon he found he enjoyed the taste of green tea. He felt more energized and less jittery than he did with coffee. He wouldn’t have discovered this improvement if he’d stuck to his initial opposition.

So, next time you’re faced with a new opinion or idea, don’t dismiss it just because it’s not what you’re used to. Take a moment. Consider it. You might find that what seems unfamiliar at first could lead to something unexpectedly great. It’s all about keeping an open mind and being willing to step out of your comfort zone. After all, every widely accepted idea was once new and strange.