Are opinions meaningless?

[The Mermaid]

During a discussion in another thread, that very question was raised.

I believe that everyone is entitled to their own opinion but that doesn't necessarily make it right or wrong.

How do you feel about unsolicited opinions?

[Ikujinashi]

I'd have to say opinions are of varying importance. They have importance because they influence how their holders act. If someone with an opinion is unlikely to act because of it, and/or their actions won't affect you in any way their opinion is pretty unimportant.

Unsolicited opinions are less likely to be important than solicited opinions (rational people solicit opinions because they think they'll be important) but that doesn't mean they'll never have any importance.

Unsolicited opinion 1: I like Nike shoes.
Holder: someone on the other end of a massive network
Importance: low

Unsolicited opinion 2: I like Nike shoes.
Holder: someone on the other end of a massive gun
Importance: HIGH

:)

[Drastic]

It depends entirely on the opinion's context and persuasiveness. Unsolicited ones simply suffer a large hit to their persuasiveness right from the start; their context might make uttering them rude, or simply ill-timed. Not only can't you make a horse drink when lead to water, it's definitely not going to drink when you walk up out of nowhere and blast it in the nostril with a squirtgun.

The meaning of a message is, ultimately, only that which is received.

[Trucido]

My opinion is that personal opinions are meaningless.

[erislover]

I guess that depends on whether you consider that only individuals can have opinions. That being the case I would wonder about Democracy versus Fascism.

In fact, even if you didn't feel that way I would still wonder about a general perspective on government types. Do you consider that, for example, the expressions layed out in the US's constitution are in some way not opinions? In what way?

[Frank O. Pinion]

I'd throw in my two cents, but what's the point?

[msmith537]

Originally posted by The Mermaid
I believe that everyone is entitled to their own opinion but that doesn't necessarily make it right or wrong.


People are, of course, entitled to their own oppinion. Every opinion, however, does not have the same rightness or wrongness.

I think PB&J is a better sandwich than grilled cheese and there is no particular rightness or wrongness to it.

I may think that we should return to a system of slavery, which would be wrong on many levels.

I could also have the opinion that gravity is merely a state of mind. That opinion is likely to encounter violent disagreement from the ground if I choose to test it.

[tapioca tundra]

~~I don't believe that everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

And that's just the way I feel.

[Bill H.]

Some opinions are more meaningful than others.

[Creaky]

Are opinions meaningless? Yeah, I think that they mostly are... unless they're your own.

[kniz]

I feel strongly both ways.

[Kyomara]

Irony factor 8.3

And that's still higher than an Alanis Morisette lyric. Good work.

[Eternal]

Opinions are like arseholes: Everyone has them, and they all have feces coming out of them every now and then.

[erislover]

Kyo, it would be a poor irony if there is any here at all. The entire premise came up over unsolicited opinions only having meaning to the person who held that unsolicited opinion.

I think that is not only incorrect (IMO) but demonstratably false.

[Fiddle Peghead]

Why the hell are you people bothering to reply to this thread? No one gives a damn what you have to say!

[kniz]

And that is notcynical?

[Fiddle Peghead]

Kniz, I don't understand the question.