is it so wrong to have an opinion?

[Nidorina of Time Lord]

In this messed up world, it seems like you have to either agree with the majority or you'll be singled out, attacked, called names, etc.

Why do people like me get so much hate just for having our own opinions? I wish I could live in a world where we could say what we wanted without having to worry about people lashing out.

When I get online, people often mistake me for a troll just because my opinions are so radical to them. They will think I'm joking. I am not a troll. I never mean to make anyone mad. I am just a very black and white person. No lenience. I strongly take one side on various subjects and usually it's the side most people disagree with.

What is one to do when the whole world is against them?

 

[maccrash]

it's not the world: it's just the internet. from what I understand from your post I'm assuming that your views are more conservative-leaning, which is super uncommon on the internet from what I've experienced and a lot of people are gonna look down on you for it. the internet's kind of a dumb place that way, but I guess I got lucky in that I'm left-leaning wrt almost every issue.

there are always gonna be people whose beliefs don't necessarily gel with yours. but there will also always be people who are gonna agree with what you're saying. it's just a matter of finding them.

 

[Sir Codin]

There's nothing wrong with having your own opinion. It's just, there's also nothing wrong with people thinking it's a shit opinion and calling you out on it.

Also, although compromise does have its uses, trying to please everyone usually ensures that you will please no one.

 

[twocows]

In this messed up world, it seems like you have to either agree with the majority or you'll be singled out, attacked, called names, etc.

Why do people like me get so much hate just for having our own opinions? I wish I could live in a world where we could say what we wanted without having to worry about people lashing out.

When I get online, people often mistake me for a troll just because my opinions are so radical to them. They will think I'm joking. I am not a troll. I never mean to make anyone mad. I am just a very black and white person. No lenience. I strongly take one side on various subjects and usually it's the side most people disagree with.

What is one to do when the whole world is against them?

If you truly do see most things in black and white, I hope that you reflect on that at some point. I really think a lot of political and ethical matters are much more gray. At the very least, I hope you're not overly judgmental of those who disagree with you. Many people have good reasons why they believe what they do and people of good conscience can and often do come to conflicting conclusions.

That said, I agree with your main sentiment. It seems like many people are just absolutely horrible at dealing with dissenting opinion. People are too quick to call any dissenting thought a "troll." I think they're probably just passionate about their beliefs, but such responses lower the level of discourse and don't accomplish anything helpful. There are legitimate trolls out there but they usually don't try to actually explain their position and back it up.

 

[Her]

Opinions are not infallible and should be subjected to criticism as the situation sees fit.

 

[Kanzler]

I don't think anybody thinks it's wrong to have an opinion. Nobody says "oooh look at him he has an opinion booo". What we're all really talking about is how people will criticize you for having a specific opinion, not for having opinion(s) to begin with. I think it's an important distinction to make and it's not just pedantry: I find that a lot of people defend their opinion by saying "what's wrong with having an opinion" without actually addressing their opinion in any shape or form. I think it's worth giving people who disagree with you the credibility of presuming that they disagree with your opinion, instead of being upset that you're not on the bandwagon/having your own opinions. People want others to be like them, yes, but that's not the only issue here.

 

[Seth Rollins]

Who said that? It's not wrong to have an opinion. If someone doesn't respect your opinion just ignore them, they're not worth your time. You have the right to say whatever you want, even "Magikarp is the best pokemon", so don't pay attention to those that call you names etc.

 

[Ivysaur]

You raise an interesting matter. People should be allowed to have their own opinions, and there should be nothing wrong with the act of expressing your opinions. That's what free speech is all about. But- you cannot expect your opinions to be respected by everybody. "It's my opinion" shouldn't be -and cannot be- a free escape card for someone who thinks something ridiculous is right. If someone's opinion that women should be enslaved at home to make babies, they are certainly free to say so, but realizing that, by doing so, they are putting that opinion up for debate- and if people widely disagree with it, well, running away claiming that people "won't let you talk" only shows inability to debate. As Kanzler said, people aren't attacked for "having an opinion", but because their opinion of X subject is considered wrong.

You are the owner of your silence and your words. Nobody is required to give an opinion on X subject if they don't want to. If you do, you should be ready to have that idea debated openly.

Also, unless you are having your speech banned by some power, or forced to comply with an stablished idea by means of violence, then chances are the problem is not that "you have an opinion" but the opinion itself.

 

[Kotone]

i don't think their is anything wrong with having different opinions. some people just don't like seeing the other side of what they think is correct. everyone is going to always have different views. people just need to learn that there's always another side to the story.

 

[Fun Size]

Of course it's wrong! I'm always right and that's final! I... I mean everyone should be entitled to their own opinions. However that idea always flies out the window once they hear something they agree with. People just want to be right. That's human nature, although that's a definite flaw about us. We're ever rarely open to someone else's idea.

 

[Megan]

In this messed up world, it seems like you have to either agree with the majority or you'll be singled out, attacked, called names, etc.

Actually, I experienced the complete opposite. Most of my life I've just gone with whatever everybody else went, but as a result, there's nowhere other people could put me, because there's just nothing special about me as a result. It's one of the main reasons why I ended up alone.

So, I think, if people notice you, because of your opinion, that's hardly a wrong thing. You just need to put it into the right words. :P

 

[Aeroblast]

it's perfectly fine to have disagreements. in fact I think disagreements can help more than agreements because it helps you see things from differing perspectives.

but what I do dislike is when people resort to name calling and insulting instead of trying to have a meaningful debate. if you want to disagree, fine, but state why you do, and please do so without being petty.

 

[Somewhere_]

In this messed up world, it seems like you have to either agree with the majority or you'll be singled out, attacked, called names, etc.

Why do people like me get so much hate just for having our own opinions? I wish I could live in a world where we could say what we wanted without having to worry about people lashing out.

When I get online, people often mistake me for a troll just because my opinions are so radical to them. They will think I'm joking. I am not a troll. I never mean to make anyone mad. I am just a very black and white person. No lenience. I strongly take one side on various subjects and usually it's the side most people disagree with.

What is one to do when the whole world is against them?

It is not wrong to have an opinion. I am often "made fun of" (a little too strong for what it really is). Because I am Christian and am open about it (not forcing it down throats), I am often called stupid, dumb, ignorant, and weird- even by my closer friends. In fact, I am none of those things as I actually challenge (and still am) my beliefs and research. I have debated them, and each time, pointed out their own flaws and contradictions, proven my points, and then they go away because they are "tired". Like you, I am on the side most people disagree with. Its a tough place to be sometimes.

In case you haven't notice, I am conservative. Most people on the internet are definitely more liberal than conservative. From my experience, conservatives seem to be a minority, on the internet and where I live. I am not saying you are conservative or anything, but my point is, people with judge you. And that is a given. Dont take any offense to what one may say.

The world is very messed up. I have accepted that fact.

 

[Gardevoir the Dragon Slayer]

It's not the opinions themselves that are the problem, but how they're addressed. Far too often in today's world, opinions of any kind are dumbed down to the most basic sound bytes and bombarded across the media, whether to promote their own opinions or shoot down others. My largest concern is that neither side of the issue ever plays devil's advocate. They blind themselves to their opponents' arguments and ignore all holes in their own. There is no one perfect approach to anything in life, but listening to and analyzing the wisdom of others is a step closer to finding the solution to the problems we face.

This, this is spot on. Ultimately most media has to be sold to its presented in a way that its target audience want it to be presented.

Lately my political and ideological beliefs are almost at war with themselves, the more I think about stuff I find that its near impossible for me to identify with Right/Left, Conservative/Liberal as there are things I agree and disagree with from both sides. But people, political parties or the media tend to pick one side and stick to it without questioning the positives and negatives of either side, and focus on attacking the opposition (often more than trying to promote their own perspective).

So yes in a way for lots of people its wrong to have an opinion if that opinion is not what other people want to hear.

 

[Nidorina of Time Lord]

It is not wrong to have an opinion. I am often "made fun of" (a little too strong for what it really is). Because I am Christian and am open about it (not forcing it down throats), I am often called stupid, dumb, ignorant, and weird- even by my closer friends. In fact, I am none of those things as I actually challenge (and still am) my beliefs and research. I have debated them, and each time, pointed out their own flaws and contradictions, proven my points, and then they go away because they are "tired". Like you, I am on the side most people disagree with. Its a tough place to be sometimes.

In case you haven't notice, I am conservative. Most people on the internet are definitely more liberal than conservative. From my experience, conservatives seem to be a minority, on the internet and where I live. I am not saying you are conservative or anything, but my point is, people with judge you. And that is a given. Dont take any offense to what one may say.

The world is very messed up. I have accepted that fact.

Yes, compared to most of the world, I am Conservative. But I'm a bit more lenient than most other Christians I know, which is leading me to be an outcast even at my own church, simply because my morals aren't as strict.

Sorry if that was hard to understand.
Basically to the rest of the world, I'm too strict.
To my church, I'm not strict enough.

 

[Somewhere_]

Yes, compared to most of the world, I am Conservative. But I'm a bit more lenient than most other Christians I know, which is leading me to be an outcast even at my own church, simply because my morals aren't as strict.

Sorry if that was hard to understand.
Basically to the rest of the world, I'm too strict.
To my church, I'm not strict enough.

My only advice than is to find a new church or pray about which morals to follow. When I graduate high school and move out from my parents, I am planning on going non-denominational.

 

[They call me Brandon Lee]

it's not the world: it's just the internet. from what I understand from your post I'm assuming that your views are more conservative-leaning, which is super uncommon on the internet from what I've experienced

have you considered that this is because of where you hang out? there are plenty of conservative places on the internet bruh

anyways he may not be conservative, you are very very left wing (and this is based on your history not on this one post) so many times when ppl disagree with you, you tend to assume theyre conservative. hell you acted like i was conservative and i am a registered democrat, your probably skewed because of your own political views... conservative and liberal are pretty subjective terms if your comparing others to yourself

regardless of this it should be noted that having an opinion is never wrong inherently, an opinion is wrong because you cant justify it with the relevant evidence

and a lot of people are gonna look down on you for it.

unfortunately this is exactly what the thread is trying to address

the problem with just looking down on somoene for having an opinion on something that doesnt agree with your own is that the person has different experiences that build that opinion. it shouldnt be a race to get the largest number of people who agree with you it should be expressing how you actually feel

i find that debating with people who disagree with me to be quite enlighteing, you learn a lot about what other people believe and some things that you may have missed on your own opinion. having other opinions isnt bad and honestly its more bad to claim someone is wrong just for having that opinion - basically you neglect their thought as an individual and place your thoughts higher than others

an example: many feminists on the internet seem to believe that a woman who isnt a feminist has something "wrong" with them, without apparently noticing that its very sexist of them to place their own beliefs of how a woman should be (women should be feminists) over an actual womans opinion. many feminists will say that anti-feminist women are stupid, uneducated or abused, but in many cases its simply that the woman doesnt agree with parts of the movement - a very legitimate and understandable complaint, if they have the evidence to support it. at that point it is far better to simply respect their opinion and move on

we should challenge our beliefs frequently because sometimes we can get so caught up in what we believe that we lose sight of other people and the whole world and focus on ourselves and this happens to anyone not just conservatives. in fact im noticing it quite a bit in liberal circles more than more conservative circles which is worrying

anyways to answer the subject i think its pretty clear that its not wrong to have an opinion. just make sure you can back it up. challenge yourself and try to think of ways your opinion could be wrong and try to expose yourself to people who dont agree with you because you might just learn something new. but never feel that you are obliged to have an opinion, and i think that is what can get really bad about some communities on the internet. while some communities in real life exist like that theyre not as big and usually less vocal since there no longer anon

 

[Pinkie-Dawn]

It isn't wrong to have an opinion per say, but it is wrong to have a bad opinion, where it's based on lack of research, egotism, or just for the sake of trying to be different from the crowd as if they're a special snowflake, which I usually see in the Culture Media and Video Games sections of this forum with popular movies and games that truly deserved the praise. These bad opinions can be easily torn down with evidence, but depending on the person, he or she will be too stubborn to admit his or her opinions were proven wrong.

 

[Zeffy]

having an opinion isn't inherently wrong nor right. however, opinions can also be weighed in a scale of bad to good, wherein what is considered 'bad' or 'good' is dictated by society and culture. a problem arises when different groups of people have different constructs of what is a good and a bad opinion.

it's the people, man

 

[maccrash]

I'm sick right now and posting from my phone so Pardon Me in advance: are you confusing me with someone else Brandon? I don't recall ever really arguing with you and if I did I had no recollection of mislabeling you as a conservative. if so, my mistake! this might be my fevered self simply forgetting. wrt there being plenty of conservative places on the internet, it's true but the majority of the Huge Sites are notoriously left-leaning, this one notwithstanding.