Avoid Extremes

Whether it's politics, religion, sports teams, foods, drinks, or dog breeds: avoid becoming an extremist.  Because being "extreme" immediately evokes the perception of closed-mindedness.  It says, by its very nature, that your view is entirely to one side and there is zero chance of entertaining a contradictory view no matter how subtle.  That's just ignorance.

Same goes with technology.  I say it all the time, that if anyone says "you have to use X because it's just the best" or "X is crap and won't work", but can't seem to offer up a non-emotional, level-headed, concise yet meticulous rationale, then move on to the next "expert" and keep searching for a better answer.

Examples?

PowerPoint, Excel and Access.  So many people open their jaws to spew ignorant crap like "oh you should avoid PowerPoint always", that it is slowly becoming a mantra for the ignorant.  There's nothing wrong with PowerPoint.  There's nothing wrong with guns and bullets. There's nothing wrong with fire.  It's all a matter of HOW you use them.  PowerPoint can be used to make incredibly entertaining, educational, informative, and interesting presentations.  It can make dynamic workflows, process diagrams, and do things that I wish Visio could do.  Excel and Access also get a bum rap by the ignorant and naive of the world.  Just because MOST people don't know how to use them properly (or effectively), does not translate into them (as tools of the trade) being useless or "bad".  Try to avoid falling into the rhetorical traps of our world.  Dogma sucks.