# If you are attempting to change someone's opinion are you fighting ignorance? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 19, 2016, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-attempting-to-change-someones-opinion-are-you-fighting-ignorance/755177 "2016-05-19T18:23:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-attempting-to-change-someones-opinion-are-you-fighting-ignorance/755177/1 "2016-05-19T18:23:06Z")
Saw this recently in a thread in IMHO, but it wasn’t the first time I’ve seen this sentiment expressed. Someone will start a thread about a family issue; relationship advice; dealing with a pet; a political issue; a religious issue; etc. Invariably, multiple points of view will be expressed, and occasionally someone will express with vehemence that they are simply fighting ignorance. Now I understand when discussing the existence of dinosaurs, the orbit of the sun around the earth; the proper way to install a toilet; the etymology of _yo what’s up!?!_; etc. that there may be ignorance of the factual topics presented that needs fighting. But do opinions that differ from yours, especially about human nature issues, fall into the realm of ignorance that needs to be fought? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-attempting-to-change-someones-opinion-are-you-fighting-ignorance/755177/2 "2016-05-19T18:36:21Z")
Your question makes no sense to me. There are certain things that are factual and certain things that aren’t, and things that are factual aren’t subject to opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-attempting-to-change-someones-opinion-are-you-fighting-ignorance/755177/3 "2016-05-19T18:42:48Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > But do opinions that differ from yours, especially about human nature issues, fall into the realm of ignorance that needs to be fought? It’s a pretty slippery slope, but if the opinions regarding human nature are based too much on ignorance, then yes. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-attempting-to-change-someones-opinion-are-you-fighting-ignorance/755177/4 "2016-05-19T18:56:14Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > …the orbit of the sun around the earth… Eppur si muove! ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-attempting-to-change-someones-opinion-are-you-fighting-ignorance/755177/5 "2016-05-19T18:58:54Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Eppur si muove! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-attempting-to-change-someones-opinion-are-you-fighting-ignorance/755177/6 "2016-05-19T20:07:30Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > But do opinions that differ from yours, especially about human nature issues, fall into the realm of ignorance that needs to be fought? Yes, if the opinions are based ignorance, incorrect information, or fallacy. For example, “I don’t support Obama because he’s a Muslim born in Kenya” is an opinion, but based on incorrect information. Arguing against this “opinion” does count as fighting ignorance. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-attempting-to-change-someones-opinion-are-you-fighting-ignorance/755177/7 "2016-05-19T20:09:06Z")
Fighting ignorance is as much about learning, as teaching. I come here to be corrected. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-attempting-to-change-someones-opinion-are-you-fighting-ignorance/755177/8 "2016-05-19T20:30:12Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Fighting ignorance is as much about learning, as teaching. I come here to be corrected. No, you don’t. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-attempting-to-change-someones-opinion-are-you-fighting-ignorance/755177/9 "2016-05-19T21:45:01Z")
There’s a middle ground where all you want is for someone to show some respect for differing opinions. “Cilantro is crap! Anyone who likes it is deluded and probably psychotic!” “No, wait. I rather do like it. It has a flavor I find attractive, and I’m not alone in this, as, otherwise, restaurants would cease to offer it. [Here is a web site celebrating the flavor](http://www.yummytummyaarthi.com/2011/08/cilantro-pesto-pesto-with-twist.html). People have different tastes.” A sane and valid response would be, “Hmph, I suppose you’re right, but I sure hate the stuff myself.” A pretty screwball and useless response would be, “You’re just fooling yourself, then, because the flavor is vile.” This is not exactly “fighting ignorance,” and not really even trying to change someone’s opinion regarding the ostensible object of the debate. It’s just trying to pry open a very tightly-closed mind. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-attempting-to-change-someones-opinion-are-you-fighting-ignorance/755177/10 "2016-05-19T21:58:42Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Fighting ignorance is as much about learning, as teaching. I come here to be corrected. _sighs_ _gets out riding crop_ ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-attempting-to-change-someones-opinion-are-you-fighting-ignorance/755177/11 "2016-05-19T23:44:08Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Saw this recently in a thread in IMHO, but it wasn’t the first time I’ve seen this sentiment expressed. Someone will start a thread about a family issue; relationship advice; dealing with a pet; a political issue; a religious issue; etc. Invariably, multiple points of view will be expressed, and occasionally someone will express with vehemence that they are simply fighting ignorance. > > Now I understand when discussing the existence of dinosaurs, the orbit of the sun around the earth; the proper way to install a toilet; the etymology of _yo what’s up!?!_; etc. that there may be ignorance of the factual topics presented that needs fighting. > > But do opinions that differ from yours, especially about human nature issues, fall into the realm of ignorance that needs to be fought? it depends. is their opinion on something subjective? Then no. But if by “opinion” they mean “I want my own facts.” then yes. but I usually consider it a better use of my time not to even bother. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2016, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-attempting-to-change-someones-opinion-are-you-fighting-ignorance/755177/12 "2016-05-20T03:28:32Z")
In the process of trying to change someone’s opinion, one discovers that the person may be ignorant of certain things, which I am then in a position to try to correct. That works both ways, and I sometimes discover that such a discussion reveals a certain ignorance of my own (which, of course, I would never admit at the time, but only privately take into account.). Sometimes in a forum like this, I discover, when putting my opinion into form, that I can’t defend it as well as I had thought I could, and I wind up fighting my own ignorance just by seeing it struggling to an untenable conclusion. You usually don’t see those.