Skepticism, Science & Pseudoscience

TransitJohn

(6,933 posts) Mon Jul 27, 2015, 08:18 PM Jul 2015

No, It’s Not Your Opinion. You’re Just Wrong

I have had so many conversations or email exchanges with students in the last few years wherein I anger them by indicating that simply saying, "This is my opinion" does not preclude a connected statement from being dead wrong. It still baffles me that some feel those four words somehow give them carte blanche to spout batshit oratory or prose. And it really scares me that some of those students think education that challenges their ideas is equivalent to an attack on their beliefs.

-Mick Cullen

I spend far more time arguing on the Internet than can possibly be healthy, and the word I’ve come to loath more than any other is “opinion”. Opinion, or worse “belief”, has become the shield of every poorly-conceived notion that worms its way onto social media.

There’s a common conception that an opinion cannot be wrong. My dad said it. Hell, everyone’s dad probably said it and in the strictest terms it is true. However, before you crouch behind your Shield of Opinion you need to ask yourself two questions.

1. Is this actually an opinion?

2. If it is an opinion how informed is it and why do I hold it?

I’ll help you with the first part. An opinion is a preference for or judgment of something. My favorite color is black. I think mint tastes awful. Doctor Who is the best television show. These are all opinions. They may be unique to me alone or massively shared across the general population but they all have one thing in common; they cannot be verified outside the fact that I believe them.

http://www.houstonpress.com/arts/no-it-s-not-your-opinion-you-re-just-wrong-7611752

6 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

No, It’s Not Your Opinion. You’re Just Wrong (Original Post) TransitJohn Jul 2015 OP

The Religion Group skepticscott Jul 2015 #1

Even when an opinion is based on pure bullshit, it is defended to the death. Archae Jul 2015 #2

Oh, I think they should have allowed GMO labeling. Warpy Jul 2015 #4

Yeah, put this label on all the produce, every cucumber, squash or tomato in a grocery store. Archae Jul 2015 #6

Yeah, I really hate reminding people of my nerdy and nursing backgrounds Warpy Jul 2015 #3

Just say it: "Your opinion is worthless." DetlefK Jul 2015 #5

skepticscott

(13,029 posts)

1. The Religion Group

Reply to TransitJohn (Original post)

Mon Jul 27, 2015, 08:24 PM

Jul 2015

is swarming with people who think that all "opinions" are equally valid or that how firmly an opinion is held has any relationship to how closely it conforms to truth and reality. Or who think that "I have a different point of view" is an argument for anything.

Archae

(46,832 posts)

2. Even when an opinion is based on pure bullshit, it is defended to the death.

Reply to TransitJohn (Original post)

Mon Jul 27, 2015, 10:17 PM

Jul 2015

Just go into an anti-GMO thread with facts and science.

Warpy

(113,131 posts)

4. Oh, I think they should have allowed GMO labeling.

Reply to Archae (Reply #2)

Tue Jul 28, 2015, 12:31 AM

Jul 2015

Given the multiple sources that go into processed foods, the labels would have read "May contain one or more GMO products: soy, wheat, corn, tomato, etc ad nauseum. Most labels would say exactly that unless they were the overly pure health food store stuff.

People would triple their food bill, start to starve, or just take their chances the way rational people do.

Archae

(46,832 posts)

6. Yeah, put this label on all the produce, every cucumber, squash or tomato in a grocery store.

Reply to Warpy (Reply #4)

Tue Jul 28, 2015, 10:23 AM

Jul 2015

This is what propaganda accomplishes.

Doesn't matter how fake the information is, say it enough and the majority believes it, in this case people see "GMO" and they right away think of a mad scientist going from tomato to tomato cackling evilly while holding a needle.

GMO's are SAFE.

All the available credible research says so.

The organic hucksters don't like this fact, because it cuts into their profits.
And organic is big business, chargin several times in some cases the market prices for non-organic food.

Warpy

(113,131 posts)

3. Yeah, I really hate reminding people of my nerdy and nursing backgrounds

Reply to TransitJohn (Original post)

Tue Jul 28, 2015, 12:28 AM

Jul 2015

but when they're talking pure bullshit woo, I often have to. The smart ones shut up. The stupid ones just tell me I'm spouting propaganda and call me a shill.

The only thing you can do with the stupid ones is walk away, twirling your index finger next to your temple.

I've got opinions, but if I don't change at least 3 of them by lunchtime, it means I've slept in.

DetlefK

(16,471 posts)

5. Just say it: "Your opinion is worthless."

Reply to TransitJohn (Original post)

Tue Jul 28, 2015, 05:21 AM

Jul 2015

Opinions cannot be true or false because they are bound to the subject making the opinion. However an opinion is either of use or it is not.

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