Rhona Canoy SO… With all that is happening lately, everyone (and I mean everyone) has thoughts, points of view, musings, criticisms—in other words, opinions. These opinions find their way to social media, begging for opinions in response to the first opinion. This often leads to virtual violence. A friend was actually vexed enough to ask, “Is it possible for people to disagree without being disagreeable?” An opinion, legal or personal or otherwise, emanates from a personal perspective of an issue or circumstance. No matter how it is presented, it is personal. Which is why in many if not all discussions, its presentation is prefaced by “In my opinion…” No matter how wellesearched the factors may be which contribute to its formation, it is a personal interpretation. In two paragraphs, I have found myself in repetitive mode—opinion, personal. So why does an opinion elicit such passionate, emotional, sometimes violent responses? Let’s dissect the mindset of the opiner. Yes, Juan, Merriam-Webster says that an opiner (noun) is one who expresses an opinion. And to opine (verb) means to express an opinion. Opinionated (adjective) means having many strong opinions. A person with an opinion usually forms his or her perspective based on (1) moral and/or religious paradigms; (2) social affiliation—like-minded groupings; (3) personal socio-political beliefs, which is loosely tied to #1. Which leads us to the complicated world of social media where people have found a platform to express their thoughts, and a captive audience which is exposed to these expressions usually not by choice. The WWW has unleashed an opinion monster in each of us. What a paradise for opiners—where anyone can say anything about anyone and anything. In language that can be uncensored, unedited, sometimes uncouth. A public broadcasting of one’s opinion opens the door to opinions in reaction to what was broadcast. Yes, Juan, broadcast means to present to the public in any form or media. Opinions are like prized possessions, and intensely personal. Most of us have not matured enough to realize that. So when we publicly express our opinions in any shape, way, or form, what we are looking for is actually affirmation or, at the very least, approbation. We want people to agree with us, therefore proving our rightness. We will defend these opinions to the length, breadth, and height that our passions can allow us. Take note—passions, not wits. Therefore, any disagreement with our opinion is taken as an attack on our person, on the very core of our being. And we will reciprocate and counter-attack with equal vehemence and lack of sensibility. In an ideal world, opinions are expressed so as to open the door to liberal discussion of differing and often opposing points of view. To open the mind so that we are gifted with a broader and wider perspective of ourselves and the world we live in, through the perspective of others. In an ideal world. Unfortunately, this needs an extremely high level of maturity and objectivity. In Jedi-speak, Yoda. Difficult though it may be, this kind of maturity is achievable. Opinions must be considered in a mental atmosphere where our disbeliefs are suspended. They must be heard with an open mind and an open heart. They must then be mulled over without bias or prejudice, and held against our own personal views in order to validate or negate that which we believe. It takes a lot to form an opinion. It takes data, knowledge, critical thinking. And even then, opinions are still only personal expressions. They are our individual truths. The best we can do is to try and convince others of the validity of our truths. And be willing to accept the validity of others’ truths if theirs make sense. As an anonymous someone said, “Opinion is really the lowest form of human knowledge. It requires no accountability, no understanding. The highest form of knowledge is empathy, for it requires us to suspend our egos and live in another world. It requires profound purpose larger than the self kind of understanding.” I suppose it is our task to use our opinions as stepping stones to strengthen and enrich our humanity and gain empathy. But that’s just my opinion.