The Danger of Opinion

It has been written many times that people have more in common than not. One characteristic in particular we all share is that we have opinions. In fact, they are probably one thing in which we rarely are in short supply. I, myself, have a ton of opinions on most every topic one can name. Of those, of course, are few that might even have some semblance of logic. But, then, that is just my opinion. That people do have perspectives on the many aspects of life is not a bad thing. It shows thought and a desire to comes to grips with issues and events that can be quite puzzling and unexpected.


At the same time, all of us need to be careful with opinions, particularly those with which we hold most strongly. They can get in the way of what is real. Along those lines, German filmmaker Wim Wenders once said, "The more opinions you have, the less you see." It is true that people, again myself included at times, tend to be blind to the difference between opinion and fact. Opinions can become mistaken for reality or the unvarnished truth. In other words, instead of looking at something and seeing what is there, people can and do have a tendency to see what they want to see. Such a trend tends to make opinions a kind of deceptive element of our thinking.


Another person of Germany heritage, philosopher G. C. Lichtenberg, observed, "We accumulate our opinions at any age when our understanding is at its weakest." Contrary to what many may believe, opinions do not represent the final step in one's intellectual assessment of a topic or issue. Rather, they are often what should be the first or hypothesis of a mental journey required to help gain a well-informed, educated assessment of something. Thus, whether it is two friends gathered to swap opinions on the news of the day, several talking heads on television, or an elected official standing at a podium, we and they must be careful not to automatically assume the views expressed represent what is true.