Opinion Archives - Scott's Thinking

Just My Opinion

Posted on August 10, 2023

How nice it might be if everyone had to say this before they spoke. Or we could use technology to have a sign flash above people’s heads as they spoke.

It’s almost funny how often some people confuse their opinion with fact. Or they think saying ‘my truth’ is very different from saying ‘my opinion’.

If you start your sentence with, ‘The fact of the matter is’, or something similar, it doesn’t make it a fact if it is your opinion.

And please don’t get me started on mis-information and other nonsense words or phrases. If you think someone got some information wrong, say so. But unless you back it up with the correct information, and that 90% of the planet would agree is a fact (not just your tribe or 52% of people), then it is just your opinion.

Observe Reframe your thoughts Think About It

Having A Different Opinion

Posted on August 7, 2023

It doesn’t make you right or wrong. And it doesn’t make you better or worse. Generally it means you interpret something differently than someone else. Which is normal and fine.

You may have noticed a movement or word that your angle, position, experience or education may have enhanced for you. Then you may have filtered that through different thoughts, values and ideas you have from your limited experience and knowledge of the entire known universe.

This can bring you to a slightly different conclusion compared to someone else or even to create a polar opposite opinion.

In addition, you may simply be trying to create a particular position so only select data relevant to your desired opinion.

Rather than be cross, anxious or bewildered by another person’s opinion, try to enjoy watching it unfold. Watch people make up their mind about their opinion, or simply parrot someone else’s (that is socially acceptable among their peer group), and then find the data to justify it or just badger you with their opinion without balanced material. Fascinating.

Observe Think About It

Whose Opinion Do You Listen To?

Posted on October 25, 2022

We listen to a wide variety of people to get different views. It’s easier, though, to choose opinions of our friends or of people who hold similar values or perspectives.

This may be more palatable or comfortable in the short term, but it may ruin you in the mid to long term. You are best to distance yourself from your emotional connection and really assess the issues with a clear and logically or rational mind.

It’s best to use data, trend analysis, forecasts and different, and even opposing, perspectives. Do you want to be accurate or just feel good and hope for the best?

Listen to intelligent arguments and then make up your own mind.

PS. Apologies for the delayed blog posts from the last few days (systems glitch) which all got sent at once in yesterdays email. Some good stuff in there! I hope their absence made you warm to them even more.

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Opinion Is Not Fact

Posted on October 25, 2021

No matter how well you dress it up, an opinion does not make something a fact.

Some phrases simply elicit a biased response from me. The following are some of them: ‘The fact is’, ‘It’s a well know fact’, ‘As a matter of fact’ and ‘Check the facts’. What people often mean is check the facts that support my position.

And just because you want it to be a fact or accurate, doesn’t mean it is.

Opinion is not fact. Get a better opinion if you need to dress things up as a fact to make your point seem stronger.

Reframe your thoughts

An Ad Hominem Reply

Posted on July 28, 2020

If you are going to have a discussion, the focus should be on the content. Unfortunately far too many people today use an ad hominem reply. That is to say, they attack the character of the person rather than try to understand or discuss the other person’s point of view.

Unfortunately this is a weak debating tool or tactic. It may be effective in the immediate term but it rarely advances any cause.

When someone uses an ad hominem reply, I tend to think less of that person. I will also give extra weight to the other person’s perspective. By sticking to the detail of the discussion point, the focused debater sounds more intelligent and becomes more persuasive.

Not everyone sees it that way.

Sometimes people will ‘pile on’ and cheer the negative personal attacks. They may even add their own insult or character challenge.

One may feel better in the moment for attacking someone this way but it is not helping to further discussions. Be mindful not to fall into this trap.

You are better than this.

If you do not agree with someone’s opinion, you can try to understand it by asking curious questions, not sarcastic ones. You can also simply let them have their opinion. Finally, you could politely explain why you hold a different opinion and then leave it there.

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The Glass Is Half Full

Posted on July 16, 2020

The glass has 250 ml of water in it. That is the fact. Your interpretation of the situation could lead you to say that the glass is half full. Or you could announce that the glass is half empty.

Many studies have been made of this simple exercise. In addition to scientific research, many people have tried to elicit people’s opinions at home or in a pub.

Many people believe your answer gives insight as to whether you perceive things in a more optimistic or pessimistic way. Another way to look at it is whether a person has an abundance mindset or a scarcity mindset.

Either way, unless you describe it as 250 ml of water or that the water is at about the halfway mark, then you are using your opinion. And that opinion can be rather revealing

Though having a negative bias or positive bias on such an insignificant matter, probably isn’t going to change your life. However, this minor bias can start to be the way you see more things.

This bias can develop into a positive cycle of abundance and appreciation or a negative cycle of scarcity and criticism. The shift is so subtle at first. Most people will not notice it. But as your bias continues to strengthen, you and others may start to pick up on the focus.

Your glass may never be filled to the top.

So when the glass is half full, enjoy it!

Observe Reframe your thoughts

It’s An Opinion

Posted on July 13, 2020

We can get fairly worked up over an opinion. A long time ago, I can remember vigorously debating with friends. It’s an opinion, became my overriding thought. I don’t need to change theirs. It doesn’t change the reality.

What is useful is to understand their opinion. A person usually holds a different opinion because they have either received information in a different way to you or they have had a personal experience.

Their opinion is valid. It can take people a very long time to change their perspective and their opinion – ask Copernicus. There are many barriers. Not least of which is being an outcast from one of their dominant tribes.

Try to discover more about their opinion.

Stop and listen. Both sides. See what specific, periphery ideas you can agree on. Note those. Then progress to other common ground. Discover what specific item is you are disagreeing on. Are there any facts you could search the internet for? Are there interviews, podcasts or videos outlining the idea from various perspectives? Is there someone who may be more eloquent with respect to this topic? A third party may reduce the tension and emotion.

Your opinion is simply an opinion based on what you are aware of at the time.

For example, it used to be conventional wisdom that Christopher Columbus ‘discovered’ the ‘New World’. For people who had never heard of this land mass before, Chris discovered it. But for the people who lived there, he was a visitor at best.

He didn’t create that new land mass. He went looking for something new and found it. A bit like someone looking for your wallet and jokingly calling out ‘finders keepers‘ when their hand is in your pocket.

When it’s an opinion, let it go calmly.