An Opinion Should Never Be Overlooked

In my first post I stressed I would never take someone’s opinion away from them and I certainly stand by my  claim. If I do not agree with an opinion, I may discuss or debate the issue just to see where that person is coming from, but I would never flat out reject a person’s opinion as insane. By discussing an issue and listening to others, you can further expand your mind that may alter the way you look at a particular topic. Everyone should certainly have an opinion and express it whenever possible. Now, I don’t mean go around blurting out your opinion of how you think some guy’s tie looks terrible or a woman’s jacket is so 2000-late. I mean if you are out on a date and your date strikes up a conversation, don’t just drool and nod your head and agree with everything your date says. Everyone has an opinion that is waiting to get out and every one should be heard with an open mind.

I actually started learning, or at least realizing this, pretty recently while dating someone that is very close to my heart. She is a great all around person and certainly helps me grow into a better person every time I’m with her. It’s actually terrifying knowing she has impacted me so deeply and I know I’ll never find another person like her which is scaring me knowing she may not be in my life in the future as something more. She holds a very special place in my heart. (excuse my emotional shout-out. Hahaha). Normally on a date I would do the whole drool and nod thing, but with her I feel unbelievably comfortable, and on our first date, it was very easy for me to express my opinions with her because of our immediate comfort level with each other and great natural bond we have. She remarked later on that night or the next time we hung out (I really forget), that she was happy that I actually have an opinion on pretty much everything because most people are afraid to express their opinion at the risk of sounding dumb. This really got me thinking about how important expressing your opinion and listening to the opinions of others is to better broaden your views on a slew of different topics. This is how we collaborate and advance as a society, by having a back and forth discussion on different ideas with conflicting ideologies to come to a consensus that pleases most, if not everybody, on where the values of our society should drift.

However, it seems we are taking the back and forth out of the discussion and it has become more of a yelling and deception match where the loudest and craftiest side wins which in turn creates distrust towards the other side, causing even further rejection of alternate ideologies. We have gotten it into our heads that anyone that has a conflicting ideology as our own is inherently wrong, is the most ignorant person on earth, and that person has no right expressing his views openly with the world. We wonder why there is such a divide in our nation on how the left and right cannot get along and come together on any fiscal or societal issues, but we deny any conversation with the other side of the aisle so we become ignorant to any other viewpoint outside of our own.

We essentially become a slave to a certain mentality and block everything else out. Is this just because of personal stubbornness? Is this hatred of any other viewpoint for real? Perhaps this is a result of brainwashing propaganda? This, I cannot answer and it is remarkably sad that this is the society we live in now. It becomes discouraging to a young adult such as myself who wants to live in a nation where we can sit down and actually talk out any issues we have to come to a logical conclusion that appeals to the majority. I don’t know, maybe I’m just crazy, but I thought that’s what was supposed to happen in American democracy. George Washington was the only president with no political party affiliation and even said political parties would be our downfall citing polarization as the cause which is very true. This polarization discourages a sharing of ideas and throws out the premise in which our political ideology is based.

When we talk about issues like gay marriage, we tend to have our own thoughts on the issue and then simply ignore any other opinion on the matter. There is a morality issue on both sides that each grasps to as hard as possible, not giving up an inch to the other side. On one hand you have the people believe it is morally right to allow gays to marry which is what I personally support. On the other hand, there are people who disagree with it on a religiously moral basis, citing the bible, supported by Catholicism and Judaism, and the Koran, supported by Islamists, rejecting homosexuality as part of their faith and claiming the institution of marriage being a sacred bond between man and woman.

It is disheartening to see there is no discussion on how gay marriage should be handled between each side and, to be quite honest, it is far too early for this issue to be heard by the Supreme Court at the time being without a proper discussion beforehand by both sides. We need to hear the opinions of both sides in a well thought out discussion as opposed to an all out attack on the opinions and ideologies of one another to set up what is to be accepted as morally right so gay marriage can prevail, while at the same time, protecting those who oppose it. This rejection of other’s opinions and stubbornness does not allow for the free flow of ideas and it prevents a solution from being created through agreeable means that instead forces the issue into acceptance causing distrust between both sides of the aisle thus further alienating each side from one another on future topics. Every opinion on this matter is valid since every opinion represents a person that will be impacted if gay marriage becomes legal.

At the end of the day, it is time we stop ignoring the opinions of others and simply listen to what each side is saying, not just when it comes to gay marriage, but on other issues as well such as how to go about fixing the economy, how to deal with the growing poverty, and the growing divide between rich and poor. We can no longer just scream that the other side is wrong without listening, but instead take our opinions and express them eloquently so each side knows the basis on which the opposing platform bases their argument.

Every opinion out there is important and should be expressed, but at the same time, each opinion should be heard. Going back to my date, she is a big basketball fan while I am a big baseball fan. I reject basketball by saying it’s a rather dumb sport of really tall people shooting a ball into a hoop and so on and so on while never actually watching a game. She stated her opinion on the sport as to the skills you must posses to be a basketball player and the physical endurance these players really posses. After listening to her state her case, I decided to give basketball a shot, a sport that I really never showed interest in, and now I enjoy watching the Knicks play because I enjoy it. I saw her point of view and realized where she was coming from. She did not convert me, but instead she opened my eyes to a new way of thinking about the sport and from there I took the initiative to give the sport a chance. This may not be as pressing of an issue as gay marriage, but this exemplifies the power and importance of sharing opinions. Baseball is still near and dear to my heart, but I now have a new-found understanding and appreciation towards something I would never have realized had it not been for me simply listening to the opinion of someone else. So next time someone is trying to express an opinion you may not agree with, I urge you to listen instead of simply rejecting it as unimportant. It may actually open your mind to a whole new way of thinking.