What does ''weakminded'' mean in Star Wars?

Hello.

We know that the Force can have a strong influence on the weakminded. But what exactly is the meaning of the term "weakminded"? I must admit, I'm not really sure about it. Let's take a look at some possible meanings:

1) Unintelligent. This doesn't seem to fit. Intelligent people *can* be naive, despite their intelligence. They also can be manipulated. Intelligence isn't always and necessarily a working protection regarding these dangers. Also, people can be extremely headstrong or unsteady, regardless of their intelligence. Some people are unsteady, *because* they are intelligent.

2) Fearful. This also doesn't seem to fit. Anakin is extremely fearful. And Will Graham from the novel "Red Dragon" is even more fearful. It is said that fear is his main-motivation. But I would never call him weakminded.

3) Obedient. At the first moment, this seems like a good candidate. However, the Shaolin and the Samurai are extremely obedient. And who would ever call them weakminded?

I have no conclusion to this problem. That's why I started this thread. In the Star Wars Galaxy, being weakminded or not is an important issue, but what does "weakminded" mean?

 

I think it probably means one who does not have a control over the Force or just a control over their mind (like people who can slow their body rate to an unbeievably slow pace) to be able to deflect such probes inTo their mind.

 

I think weakminded means you are easy to manipulate or you are just naive.

 

That's easy. Any media idiot that gives a stupid review of AOTC and talks about how bad AOTC is.

 

Maybe it just means someone who doesn't believe in the existence of the Force.

 

Here's my take on it:

Weakminded to the Jedi means it's easier to gain control over their minds.

For example, the Jedi mind trick did not work on Watto and Jabba, right? Well, they are strong-willed characters that answer to no-one.

But then you have people like the stormtoopers or Bib Fortuna, who are easy manipulated.

I think it translates into them having to do whatever is commanded of them all the time, and they are obediant, and not strong-willed, so they can't control their own mind as well, making it much easier for the Jedi to gain control over their mind.

For example, take a strait A, strong willed student and put him next to an all D's and F's student that's easy to control, and let a Jedi try to do a mind trick.

It's obviously going to work better on the D and F, not strong willed student, because 1) he's not as smart, and doesn't realize what's going on and 2) he's used to doing what other people have to say.

But that's just my take on it.

 

Thanks for the interesting replies so far from everyone. Personally I don't think it has something to do with the question whether or not someone believes in the Force, because Han Solo didn't believe, but was nevertheless a smart and strongwilled character.
Perhaps it's a combination of being naive AND being used to follow orders all the time without questioning AND not being used to ever really use mental skills (no training).
But what if such a person has a high Midi-count? Is that necessarily a protection against the mindtrick, despite the weaknesses?

 

It basically means uneducated people,people with low intelligence at birth,drug addicts,people with mental illness,people with Napoleon complex,drunks,people that are easily manipulated by others or that belive anything that you them because they are too stupid to know any better,known fictional characters that fit this Weak Minded profile are:

Tommy Calahan Jr: Tommy Boy.
Homer Simpson: The Simpsons.
Larry Burns: The Simpsons.
Matthew Brock: Newsradio.
Harry and Loyd: Dumb and Dumber.
almost all of Adam Sandlers characters.
the Soup Nazi: Seinfield.
Screech/Samual Powers: Saved by the Bell.

Smart Characters:

Jimmy James: Newsradio.
Jerry Seinfield: Seifield.
Lisa Simpson: the Simpsons.
Fonzie: Happy Days.
Frasier Krane: Frasier.
Mulder and Scully: the X-Files.

Just a few examples.

 

Stubborn people are the opposite of weak minded. They are neither paticularly intelligent nor stupid - they just refuse to believe anything if it doesn't suit them. So I guess naive people are what we would call weak minded. Easily influenced.

 

@Mateo: You called the Soup Nazi "weakminded"? The Soup Nazi?!? How dare you?!? By the way, what about George Costanza? The episode "The Opposite" is quite interesting, regarding this issue!

@OnlyOneKenobi: Yes, from a certain point of view, stubborn people could be viewed as the opposite of weakminded people. But it *has* a strange feeling to it, because being stubborn isn't exactly known as a great quality.

By the way, I think there isn't a strict two-class-system of eternally weakminded people and eternally strongminded people. I rather think that being weakminded is a danger for lots of people, but also including the possibility of improvement, training of the mental skills, overcoming a state of wasted unused potential.

 

Used Successfully On: Storm Trooper ANH, Bib Fortuna ROTJ, Boss Nass TPM.

Unsuccessfully: Jabba ROTJ, Watto TPM
Anakin also states it would be ineffective on Padme AOTC


What does this tell us? Uh, I don't know.

 

Weakminded means that your mind isn't strong enough to resist a Jedi mind trick.

 

Clones that have been genetically altered to be more docile are particulary susceptible to the mind-trick. I wonder how easy it would be to clone a major character and have a puppet version of them revealed in Ep3...

 

weakminded: n; one who consumes deathsticks

 

"Weakminded" refers to someone who is unsure or not resolute in their decision.

To put it in contemporary terms, ex-president Bill Clinton--and most democrats for that matter--could be considered "weakminded" since much of his policy was determined by so-called "popular" opinion polls as opposed to personal resolve.

President George W. Bush, on the other hand, is the antithesis of weakminded because he makes a decision and sticks with it to the bitter end, popular opinion be damned.

So when you think of Bill Clinton, think "These aren't the droids you're looking for," and when you think of President George W. Bush, think "I'm a Republican! Popular opinion polls don't work on me, only honesty."

I hope that clears things up.

 

Strong minded people don't always get A's on their school work. That just takes good memorization and anyone could get an A...good boy you got an A go get another one and you'll get a treat. Grades don't determine the intelligence of a person In my opinion. Just because someone scores a low grade on some test that was created by a bunch of people that think this is what people should know to be good students does not determine if a person would be controlled by the force or not. It's the person themself that determines if their weak or strong minded not how well they do on some test. Just my point of view though.

 

Weakminded = Stupid.

Jabba is weakminded. The trick doesn't work on him because his brain is made of Lard.

Watto is weakminded. The trick doesn't work on him because he wears that mind-shield helmet like Magneto.

 

scuggifest - that throws us into an entirely new question about the definition of "stupid." Are you stupid if you can't read? Are you stupid if you can't understand the quantum mechanics of physics? Are you stupid if you take a joke seriously? Does that make you weak-minded?

In my opinion, weakminded are those who are easy to manipulate - IMHO, the best definition is: "those people who let others think for them."

Aunecah

 

One that can't control His/Her mind. One who lets go of his or her thoughts, as Luke revealed his thoughts of Leia to Vader on the Death Star.

 

If you are not an independent thinker, or like others have said naive.