In this highly opinionated world, the true perspective on any subject, idea or material is obscured. There are more opinions than population. Opinion, according to Oxford dictionary means “A view or judgement formed on something without any fact or knowledge”. We are not discussing medical opinion here as that for sure is based on facts such as reports, scans and so on.
Much of our daily life is either spent in forming opinions or defending the ones formed. The mind runs like an algorithm, looking out for cues, situations or personalities which match what we propagate. There are many who can go to any length, breadth or depth of an argument to prove themselves right. Opinions have become an extension of our personality. Most of us have been labelled according to the viewpoints we hold. That becomes even more challenging as the ego does not let one drop the label, instead one holds the ground and fights the argument.
Opinions form the basic foundation of conversations in a gathering, debates on the TV channels or leads one to take a stand on social media. While all this may be serious business but if one had to zoom out and look at the larger picture, it’s just entertainment.
Today we are not just divided by colour, economic background, education, language we speak or country we belong to, also by the opinions we hold. Many friendships have been put at stake while defending a standpoint which has been considered the right thing by so called conditions of virtues and may not be. Relationships have taken a toll on the pretext of standing up for one’s views. Countries have gone to war on making a viewpoint so larger than life itself.
It is not at all unreasonable to have an opinion, what is preposterous is to make that point of view one’s reason to be. Situations, matters, issues and even personalities have many facets and the stimulating factor is to be curious to unfold what is not known.
Needless to say, opinions are influenced by personal circumstances such as education, socio-economic background, religious affinity, family values, upbringing, life’s experiences and many other factors. Hence, the points of views are already restricted.
The questions to ask oneself are:
- Do fixed points of views help us to grow in our thought process?
- Are these emerging from dogmatic beliefs?
- Do these beliefs hold any firm grounding?
- Do rigid opinions lock us in a static standpoint, which inadvertently pauses intellectual growth.
- Does this view point have an origin in some aspect of ego. More literally- deep seated desire of being always perceived to be right rather than going with the dynamics of the situation.
Standing by an opinion serves to drive home an idea or a decision. Nonetheless, it is imperative to find out whether that’s one’s own thinking based upon facts or is it influenced by culture, people, religion, etc. Also, another check is advantageous – Is it coming from reason or from ego? Analysis of all aspects portrays a larger picture.
Opinions are floating thoughts. Hanging on to them only makes us fixated and rigid. This will attract inflexible situations and people in life. We are not our opinions. The opinions we hold don’t define us. Create them, destroy them, create them again.
Find the light within
Follow the light
Radiate the light.