:: Opinions ::
To have an own view of debatable issues based on an informed judgement. That's how I define opinions. Having opinions is what determines how much respect and power a person can garner. It also determines how much hate and resent people can have towards the person. However, being able to form an informed judgement is what makes a person an individual entity, which is to have a unique mind that processes information and form judgements based on them. Depending on the mood, values and attitudes of the individiaul, the judgement of the person will be different. A person instilled with good values will form judgements based on them. However, the attitude of the person can change the values that the person believes in. For example, having too many bad experiences will really stretch a person's belief that "honesty is the best policy". Also, the mood of the person greatly determines the person's judgement. A person in a good mood will most likely give a more positive response to the issue, while a person in a bad response will not see the issue in a good light. The difference between mood and attitude is that mood is normally situation specific, while attitude is general which covers all situations.
Importance of having an opinion. First of all, it exercises your mind. For example, I personally don't think that the war in Iraq now is a just war. How did I do that? I read through the facts that the media has given me (despite how distorted they could be), analyzed them and formed my own opinion. Also, it prevents those awkward moments when someone asks you "What do you think about the "murder" of Kelly by the British Govt?" and you just say "Er, yeah, like that lor". By having an opinion, whether it is congruent with what the person thinks, people will be able to see you as an intellectual person who is able to gather information, analyze and present your opinion in a convincing manner. Perhaps, the most important reason for having an opinion is that with it, comes power. Think of all the powerful people in the world today, dead and alive: George Washington, Adolf Hitler, Bill Gates, etc. They all formed their own opinion, and people followed. It is the way you present your opinions that matters. See Adolf Hitler. Enough said.
However, having an opinion can result in people in different mindsets to look at you resentfully. This is an unavoidable effect of having opinions or having a stand. This is the basis of debates: to have an issue and present the pros and cons to convince the panel of judges. Of course, some people might not like the idea that you have an opinion that doesn't fall into his/her circle of values. This is when conflicts occur.
So, the issue is this: do you have opinions on issues, and bear the wrath of people who do not agree with you? Or, do you just keep quiet, and have no qualms with anybody....
To have an own view of debatable issues based on an informed judgement. That's how I define opinions. Having opinions is what determines how much respect and power a person can garner. It also determines how much hate and resent people can have towards the person. However, being able to form an informed judgement is what makes a person an individual entity, which is to have a unique mind that processes information and form judgements based on them. Depending on the mood, values and attitudes of the individiaul, the judgement of the person will be different. A person instilled with good values will form judgements based on them. However, the attitude of the person can change the values that the person believes in. For example, having too many bad experiences will really stretch a person's belief that "honesty is the best policy". Also, the mood of the person greatly determines the person's judgement. A person in a good mood will most likely give a more positive response to the issue, while a person in a bad response will not see the issue in a good light. The difference between mood and attitude is that mood is normally situation specific, while attitude is general which covers all situations.
Importance of having an opinion. First of all, it exercises your mind. For example, I personally don't think that the war in Iraq now is a just war. How did I do that? I read through the facts that the media has given me (despite how distorted they could be), analyzed them and formed my own opinion. Also, it prevents those awkward moments when someone asks you "What do you think about the "murder" of Kelly by the British Govt?" and you just say "Er, yeah, like that lor". By having an opinion, whether it is congruent with what the person thinks, people will be able to see you as an intellectual person who is able to gather information, analyze and present your opinion in a convincing manner. Perhaps, the most important reason for having an opinion is that with it, comes power. Think of all the powerful people in the world today, dead and alive: George Washington, Adolf Hitler, Bill Gates, etc. They all formed their own opinion, and people followed. It is the way you present your opinions that matters. See Adolf Hitler. Enough said.
However, having an opinion can result in people in different mindsets to look at you resentfully. This is an unavoidable effect of having opinions or having a stand. This is the basis of debates: to have an issue and present the pros and cons to convince the panel of judges. Of course, some people might not like the idea that you have an opinion that doesn't fall into his/her circle of values. This is when conflicts occur.
So, the issue is this: do you have opinions on issues, and bear the wrath of people who do not agree with you? Or, do you just keep quiet, and have no qualms with anybody....
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