Matter of Opinion

I believe we will always have a diversity of opinions on different subjects.

In fact, we might change our own opinions on certain topics, as time goes by, and as more information becomes available to us, and our life philosophy changes.

Accepting diversity of opinions and from that understanding a different point of view, even if you don't agree with it, is not often the path chosen in today's world.

But it is important to keep ourselves open to different takes on the same matter.

Some will say "I prefer facts to opinions, because they are stripped of emotions.".

The thing is, while a presentation or article may be stripped of apparent emotions, it will never be about facts, because it is related by a person who may or may be biased on the subject, but it is biased on any number of different subjects, and has a certain life philosophy, experiences, relationships, plus some potential editorial constraints, which will make the story filtered through a certain perspective.

Humans are terrible at relating facts. That's because our brain never stores the facts, but rather associations of them to passed experiences.

To exemplify this, let's say Jim, his wife Georgia and their 3-year old Mickey go to the park in the weekend. There, they all see a white dove. Georgia and Mickey feed it too (well, Mickey is a little scared at first).

The following week, Jim and Georgia have this conversation:

Nick: Georgia, have you seen my hat?

Georgia: No, I haven't.

Nick: I don't find it and I want to take it to the game this weekend!

Georgia: Let's retrace the steps. When do you remember having it the last time?

Nick: I had it two weeks ago at the last game I went to.

Georgia: Aaa, didn't you have it last weekend when I and Mickey fed the white dove?

Nick: What white dove?

Georgia: In the park...

Nick: Why didn't you say so? Hmm, it's probably gone by now.

Seems plausible, doesn't it? Jim remembered going to the park, but the white dove is out of the picture for him.

That's why I believe everything we say or write is rather subjective. It can be more or less documented, but still subjective.

It's also the case here on steemit, we don't always agree with opinions of others, but I try to appreciate contrary, but well-argued opinions. Just because someone says something you don't agree with, it doesn't mean he or she is wrong. Unfortunately we keep falling into this psychological trap.