IN MY OPINION.

You are lucky if you hear these words. Most people simply state their opinion as fact and dare you to challenge it. The fact, however, is that everybody has opinions, is entitled to them, is free to express them and even act on them. Forming opinions is a natural process. We are constantly doing it from the moment we wake up throughout the day.
The problem is that there is a difference between an informed and uninformed opinion. Since the truth is so difficult to determine, I would rather say there is a difference between a less informed and a more informed opinion.
Some people form opinions about everything including those things they know nothing about. Then they proceed and treat their own opinions as facts. Some of these people tend to become controlled by their own opinions rather than by the facts.
In order to from an informed opinion one must search for the facts. Unfortunately you can not depend on the news media for facts. With the attention of the public limited, the media has engaged in two distortions. Oversimplification and entertainment value. Due to time constraints they oversimplify complex issues and to attract attention they will promote opinions either 1 or 9 on the scale of 10, rather than the 4-6-range middle, better balanced but less controversial position the population has.
In my opinion these are times when we should try to form sound opinions. Periodically we should look at our old opinions in light of new facts and if they are no longer reasonable, do not be afraid to replace them. This is the only way you can control your opinions instead of letting your opinions control you. This is the only way you can adapt to circumstances as water conforms to the vessel it is poured in. This is how you survive.

Tibby Weston
November 2001  ¶ 3:50 PM