If I say that a card reading is a poor way to find out ones lifes work, than that is clearly my opinion. Did I really need to say it? If I say that currently Madonna looks like something that tribesmen make fetishes to keep away, do I really need to clarify that its my opinion?
While we are on the subject, I would like to be given the permission to club the next person that says something like "doesnt matter what your opinion is as long as you have one...". Really. Its got to be one of the dumbest statements. It is OK not to have an opinion. If you are uninformed (I am looking at you people that believe in death panels) it would be way better for you to NOT have an opinion.
7 comments:
People preface with 'it is just my opinion' and other such weasel words because Americans get offended when contradictory opinions arise. Someone much wiser than I said something like a wise man can entertain an idea without adopting it. Americans believe all disagreement is personal. Therefore, we try to soften the blow. Though, I'm not offended by the weasel words, they are an attempt at being polite. At the moment, it is my opinion that I am too tired to form proper sentences. Good night. :O)
Agreeing with POS. It's politeness.
I don't know how it happened, but at some point any statement may be taken by the interpereter to be as sweeping, general, and ex cathedra as they like. No matter how silly or illogical it is.
Not sure why, but many Americans have a decently large chip on their shoulders, and as a culture we have a problem with authority. It's why we tend to elect folks with nicknames like "Bubbah" and "Dubya".
"What, you don't like Madonna? Whadder you, some kinda Madonnaologist? You got a degree in that, smart guy? Whaddaya think ya better than me!?"
Contrary opinion can be considered a direct challange, unless prefaced with, "In my opinion". It just seems to be how politeness is evolving in our culture. I would guess that it is also a reaction to a trend of people declairing their own opinions as some sort of universal truth, and declairing anyone who beleives otherwise wrong on the facts, and wrong as people.
We're still trying to undo blue laws and such, that though religiously based are framed in the same faulty reasoning.
One of the things I loathe is having to preface certain opinions with "This is my opinion today; I reserve the right to change it tommorrow." At some point, we all lost the right to change our minds later. What happened to be able to learn and grow?
Well...
Since I know where this is coming from, cause I saw the exchange, I just want to say, I completely understood the point you were making, and that you were speaking metaphorically, and not literally or meaning to be in a off putting or disregarding way. I also agree with your statement, and I personally don't understand why any person would be offended by it.
now I wonder if this whole statement was ambigously clear enough.
'It is just my opinion.' I see it as a way to coddle the easily offended. So many people out there are LOOKING for a reason to argue and get all ruffled over something.
On the other hand, I have on occasion used the words "I personally think" or "I believe" which probably serve the same purpose but just come out in the manner I'm expressing my opinion and not a forethought as letting people know "Hey! THIS is only my opinion so don't get all huffy."
I guess it depends on the reason the person is saying those words.
Also dude, sadly, welcome to being an authority in the occult world. Like any other scene you will now be scrutinized proportionately to your fame and following.
If an argument gets a little heated, I sometimes lose faith in whether the other person knows that it is just their opinion, because they seem to be stating it as fact, so sometimes I need the reassurance that "you" do have a little distance on the bold assertions "you're" making.
And I need that because some people just aren't very good at distinguishing between opinions and facts, and sometimes my fears are well-founded.
Not you of course, Jason. Those other people :)
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