Opinions

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
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YMix
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Opinions

Post by YMix »

No, It’s Not Your Opinion. You’re Just Wrong

I spend far more time arguing on the Internet than can possibly be healthy, and the word I’ve come to loath more than any other is “opinion”. Opinion, or worse “belief”, has become the shield of every poorly-conceived notion that worms its way onto social media.

There’s a common conception that an opinion cannot be wrong. My dad said it. Hell, everyone’s dad probably said it and in the strictest terms it is true. However, before you crouch behind your Shield of Opinion you need to ask yourself two questions.

1. Is this actually an opinion?

2. If it is an opinion how informed is it and why do I hold it?

I’ll help you with the first part. An opinion is a preference for or judgment of something. My favorite color is black. I think mint tastes awful. Doctor Who is the best television show. These are all opinions. They may be unique to me alone or massively shared across the general population but they all have one thing in common; they cannot be verified outside the fact that I believe them.

There’s nothing wrong with an opinion on those things. The problem comes from people whose opinions are actually misconceptions. If you think vaccines cause autism you are expressing something factually wrong, not an opinion. The fact that you may still believe that vaccines cause autism does not move your misconception into the realm of valid opinion. Nor does the fact that many other share this opinion give it any more validity.

[...]
I also spend more time arguing on the Internet than it's healthy.
“There are a lot of killers. We’ve got a lot of killers. What, do you think our country’s so innocent? Take a look at what we’ve done, too.” - Donald J. Trump, President of the USA
The Kushner sh*t is greasy - Stevie B.
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Heracleum Persicum
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Re: Opinions

Post by Heracleum Persicum »

YMix wrote:
No, It’s Not Your Opinion. You’re Just Wrong

I spend far more time arguing on the Internet than can possibly be healthy, and the word I’ve come to loath more than any other is “opinion”. Opinion, or worse “belief”, has become the shield of every poorly-conceived notion that worms its way onto social media.

There’s a common conception that an opinion cannot be wrong. My dad said it. Hell, everyone’s dad probably said it and in the strictest terms it is true. However, before you crouch behind your Shield of Opinion you need to ask yourself two questions.

1. Is this actually an opinion?

2. If it is an opinion how informed is it and why do I hold it?

I’ll help you with the first part. An opinion is a preference for or judgment of something. My favorite color is black. I think mint tastes awful. Doctor Who is the best television show. These are all opinions. They may be unique to me alone or massively shared across the general population but they all have one thing in common; they cannot be verified outside the fact that I believe them.

There’s nothing wrong with an opinion on those things. The problem comes from people whose opinions are actually misconceptions. If you think vaccines cause autism you are expressing something factually wrong, not an opinion. The fact that you may still believe that vaccines cause autism does not move your misconception into the realm of valid opinion. Nor does the fact that many other share this opinion give it any more validity.

[...]
I also spend more time arguing on the Internet than it's healthy.

seconded

.
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Nonc Hilaire
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Re: Opinions

Post by Nonc Hilaire »

YMix wrote:
No, It’s Not Your Opinion. You’re Just Wrong

I spend far more time arguing on the Internet than can possibly be healthy, and the word I’ve come to loath more than any other is “opinion”. Opinion, or worse “belief”, has become the shield of every poorly-conceived notion that worms its way onto social media.

There’s a common conception that an opinion cannot be wrong. My dad said it. Hell, everyone’s dad probably said it and in the strictest terms it is true. However, before you crouch behind your Shield of Opinion you need to ask yourself two questions.

1. Is this actually an opinion?

2. If it is an opinion how informed is it and why do I hold it?

I’ll help you with the first part. An opinion is a preference for or judgment of something. My favorite color is black. I think mint tastes awful. Doctor Who is the best television show. These are all opinions. They may be unique to me alone or massively shared across the general population but they all have one thing in common; they cannot be verified outside the fact that I believe them.

There’s nothing wrong with an opinion on those things. The problem comes from people whose opinions are actually misconceptions. If you think vaccines cause autism you are expressing something factually wrong, not an opinion. The fact that you may still believe that vaccines cause autism does not move your misconception into the realm of valid opinion. Nor does the fact that many other share this opinion give it any more validity.

[...]
I also spend more time arguing on the Internet than it's healthy.
No, you don't!
“Christ has no body now but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks with compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks among His people to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses His creation.”

Teresa of Ávila
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YMix
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Re: Opinions

Post by YMix »

Nonc Hilaire wrote:No, you don't!
That's, like, your opinion, dude.
“There are a lot of killers. We’ve got a lot of killers. What, do you think our country’s so innocent? Take a look at what we’ve done, too.” - Donald J. Trump, President of the USA
The Kushner sh*t is greasy - Stevie B.
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Nonc Hilaire
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Re: Opinions

Post by Nonc Hilaire »

YMix wrote:
Nonc Hilaire wrote:No, you don't!
That's, like, your opinion, dude.
:D
“Christ has no body now but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks with compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks among His people to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses His creation.”

Teresa of Ávila
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Parodite
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Re: Opinions

Post by Parodite »

Ymix, if you downsize Mr.P's feeding schedule things might be alright. :P
Deep down I'm very superficial
noddy
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Re: Opinions

Post by noddy »

i think the problem with 'facts' is they are only relevant in terms of 'priorities'

this is the reason opinions are just opinions and most facts can be short circuited via another fact from a different perspective.

all the folks ive met who get all caught up in facts really cant get their heads around the 'fact' that not all people share their fears and priorities - its like arguing with a smothering mother.

well, thats my opinion anyway :P
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YMix
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Re: Opinions

Post by YMix »

Parodite wrote:Ymix, if you downsize Mr.P's feeding schedule things might be alright. :P
Mr. P. is high on his own righteousness.
“There are a lot of killers. We’ve got a lot of killers. What, do you think our country’s so innocent? Take a look at what we’ve done, too.” - Donald J. Trump, President of the USA
The Kushner sh*t is greasy - Stevie B.
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Parodite
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Re: Opinions

Post by Parodite »

YMix wrote:
Parodite wrote:Ymix, if you downsize Mr.P's feeding schedule things might be alright. :P
Mr. P. is high on his own righteousness.
It's a religious thing.
Deep down I'm very superficial
Simple Minded

Re: Opinions

Post by Simple Minded »

Parodite wrote:
YMix wrote:
Parodite wrote:Ymix, if you downsize Mr.P's feeding schedule things might be alright. :P
Mr. P. is high on his own righteousness.
It's a religious thing.
Being one's own god is a rather common form of monotheism......
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kmich
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Re: Opinions

Post by kmich »

Everyone had opinions. The only ones I see that don’t have them are in the morgue.

Opinions emerge from our intentions and difficulties with them arise when we become identified with them. There just our own fabrications, constructs of thought, after all.

To sort that out, we have to have to time and space to contemplate and clarify our intentions. That is why extended breaks from on line posting are sometimes necessary.
manolo
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Re: Opinions

Post by manolo »

YMix wrote:
I’ll help you with the first part. An opinion is a preference for or judgment of something. My favorite color is black. I think mint tastes awful. Doctor Who is the best television show. These are all opinions. They may be unique to me alone or massively shared across the general population but they all have one thing in common; they cannot be verified outside the fact that I believe them.
YMix,

There is some interesting philosophy in there.

I'm not sure that "My favorite color is black" is an opinion. However, "Doctor Who is the best television show" does sound like an opinion.

Alex.
noddy
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Re: Opinions

Post by noddy »

{adenoidal voice}black isnt a colour, black is the absence of colour{/adenoidal voice}
ultracrepidarian
Simple Minded

Re: Opinions

Post by Simple Minded »

noddy wrote:{adenoidal voice}black isnt a colour, black is the absence of colour{/adenoidal voice}
(emotional Merikan voice) "Other colors are racist!" (emotional Merikan voice)
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NapLajoieonSteroids
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Re: Opinions

Post by NapLajoieonSteroids »

kmich wrote:Everyone had opinions. The only ones I see that don’t have them are in the morgue.
Then you aren't looking hard enough. The dead are so opinionated, they still turn up to vote! ;)
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Parodite
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Re: Opinions

Post by Parodite »

Any opinions about Friends with Benefits? :D
Deep down I'm very superficial
Mr. Perfect
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Re: Opinions

Post by Mr. Perfect »

Parodite wrote:
YMix wrote:
Parodite wrote:Ymix, if you downsize Mr.P's feeding schedule things might be alright. :P
Mr. P. is high on his own righteousness.
It's a religious thing.
No it's not. Self righteousness is an identifier of leftists.

progressives
Censorship isn't necessary
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