What does the quote 'Minds are like parachutes They only function when open' mean?

An open mind is a mind that is non-judging, open to new thoughts, ways of doing things. That does not see obstacles but opportunities. Before you think about the meaning of this quote, you need to be clear of some terms that seem to be quite obvious, but they aren't:

* What is a parachute? * What is mind? * What is the difference between a closed and an open parachute This brings us to the question: What is an open mind?

A parachute is usually a soft fabric device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag.

Mind collectively refers to the aspects of intellect and consciousness manifested as combinations of thought, perception, memory, emotion, will and imagination An open parachute is obviously "in action" or "used" and function, while a parachute is closed when not in use.

The quote "Minds are like parachutes[...]" means that there can be a functional and disfunctional mind (compared to a closed and open parachute). Tommy Deware, who is the author of this quote, states that only an open mind is a mind that is really functioning.

You can make your own sense to what an open mind is (see also previous answer).