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Submitted: February 15, 2010
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Just My Opinionby `mjranum

Cartoons & Comics / Digital Media / Cartoons / Vector

It seems that about once a month, I have a variation of the exchange above. My guess is that it's a "generational thing" (does this mean I am finally old enough to be alienated from the younger generation?!) resulting from 1990s political correctness, which taught us that everyone's opinion is unique and valuable. That's not true, of course, but the consequence seems to be that "it's just my opinion" is the new excuse for saying something really stupid. Since opinions are all, well, just a matter of opinion, saying "it's just my opinion" tries to shelter your words by simultaneously discrediting them and leaving oneself open to counter-attack, as illustrated above. Saying "it's just my opinion" is a sign of weakness; you want to avoid conflict but you're not smart enough to realize it so your actions lack resolve.

If you don't enjoy being dished on in public, you probably shouldn't dish on others who might retaliate in kind and who might not back away from conflict. I'm not here to offer strategic advice, but a better strategy for handling a response of "hey! that was rude!" is apology or silence. Because the apology can be completely insincere and allows you to preserve the integrity and value of your words, and - as the old saying goes, "it's better be silent and have people think you're stupid, than to open your mouth and confirm it."

This image is dedicated to every weak little sissy that I've had to spank for making rude comments about a model. Your parents didn't raise you right; it's not your fault; you're weak and inarticulate. And that's not just my opinion.

love 5 5

joy 9 9

wow 1 1

~~mad 0 0~~

~~sad 0 0~~

fear 1 1

~~neutral 0 0~~

~HakuhoNoKaze Mar 7, 2013 Professional General Artist

Bravo!

~TheNormal1 Sep 30, 2012 General Artist

reminds me of this [link]

`mjranum Sep 30, 2012

cute!

~DocHott Sep 30, 2012 Hobbyist Photographer

LOL

*SalHunter Sep 30, 2012

The subjective/objective divide.

I prefer an evidence based approach ... I like to ask people what evidence they use to support their opinions ... that usually stops the conversation dead in the water ... especially when I point out all the generalisations they've used and ask whether they would like to be judged on the basis of those same generalisations.

I think it should be pointed out that people define themselves by the subjective judgements they make ... and their judgements often have very little to do with the things being judged.

`mjranum Sep 30, 2012

I agree with you. I wrote a whole journal entry, way back when, on how to have and hold an opinion.

[link]

The problem I'm talking about here is more of a defensive verbal mannerism, or very poor strategy. I encounter it way too much.

~wings33 Jul 29, 2012

Well done.

~BluDrgn426 Jul 22, 2012 Professional Digital Artist

totally faving this

~LolZorzs May 22, 2012

This really ticks me off when one person is giving facts or points of views in order to make an argument or a discussion flow and the other guy just states that it's his opinion, refuses to acknowledge it, and refuses to exchange any information to further advance the discussion.

`mjranum Jul 9, 2012

Well, that's pretty much a presuppositionalist position - circular reasoning. The way to respond to that is to simply assert that since it's a matter of their opinion, their opinion can be dismissed as not relevant to you, without any further argument.

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