Opinions are like arseholes. Everyone has one.
That statement is very true. I feel it also gives the idea that an opinion is something negative. It is like the quotation above feels that opinions are wasteful, due to the part of the body that it compares it with. It’s the part of the body that gets rid of all the leftovers. So, all the expression contains some truth, I find it to be an unfair analysis. It is a rather poor attitude to have on the subject of opinions.
Of course everyone does have, and are entitled to, their own opinion. The problem is, that people believe that they can change the opinion of others. An honest opinion is created with a person’s own thoughts and ideas. They think about what they have experienced, and craft their own thoughts on a particular subject. That makes having an opinion a very personal process, and I don’t believe that someone else should try to change it. Because if a person has an opinion, they have thought about a topic, and they believe themselves to be right.
And that is where problems occur. If you personally believe something is right, and someone tries to convince you otherwise, it can be hard not to get offended. So people defend their opinion, and those of different opinions clash.
I feel that if I wish for people to respect my opinion, then I should respect theirs. It’s simple, and should be very simple to understand. And it could be relatable to subjects such as religion, politics, eating habits and favourite bands. Respecting what others think is a big part of what is wrong in today’s society. Too many people let their own opinion become a blockade towards relating with others. For example, I know people, who shall remain nameless, who won’t associate with people who are religious, because they don’t believe in it. The religious folk are lovely, but people’s own intolerance stop them from seeing that.
Why is it that people strive to be so different, but then won’t accept the differences of others?
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I really enjoyed your post and couldn’t agree with you more. I tend to have a “peace-maker” personality which encourages me to hear out and respect others’ opinions even if I don’t personally agree with them. It’s made it possible for me to make many different, fulfilling friendships and have equally insightful experiences. I sincerely wish more people out there did the same. As you mentioned, those who use their opinions as a sort of “blockade” against others is damaging to society and also, so damn sad. What lovely individuals, perspectives, and experiences might these people be missing out on because they, quite frankly, have chosen to stay close-minded on the subject in question?
I think, when I was a teenager, I felt so mis-understood, and rejected some people because they didn’t believe what I believed in. On reflection, I regret it. And it was when I started using the internet for expression, that I realised that some people wouldn’t like what I thought. So I kind of changed my thinking, if I want those to respect what I say, I should respect others. And it helped me become a lot more tolerant.
I only wish I had changed my views on that before I did.