Do we really need to have an opinion over everything, every time?
It is good to have an opinion, it is beneficial to have a say over things around us. Opinions, suggestions, ideas, advice all add to the bigger picture of analysis. It comes across as a mode to help others. As we offer our two cents over a matter, we can provide a new direction or open up a new field to think about. Many a times, as you discuss and come up with opinions, it facilities the over process of making decisions. But, do we really need to have an opinion over everything? Is it necessary to have ideas over some matters that mean nothing to us? Is it acceptable to offer advice, just for the so-called ‘duty’ to do so? And is it impolite to not offer your opinion, when you don’t really have one?
In today’s ‘know-it-all’ digital era, we all have easy access to knowledge. Call it latest technology or novel trend, we tend to know something about everything. Not being aware about certain aspects relates to our ‘carelessness’, making us ignorant. While it is definitely essential to stay up-to-date with latest happenings and trending topics, it should not be confused with our ability to pass judgements or frame opinions. Knowing about significant things around is similar to reading a newspaper, but having an opinion over every single act on this earth is like penning a gossip magazine.
Offering advice, when asked for it is a sign of humble conduct. But, having an opinion over factors that mean nothing to us is truly useless. With growing influence of social media platforms, we tend to be vocal about everything. Even an irrelevant matter at the other end of the world can prompt us to offer our say over it. There is no harm in growing our knowledge-base and gathering facts. But, there is total harm in judging about matters that mean nothing to us. Unknowingly, as we speak about something, it can lead to misunderstandings and incorrect statements.
Have an opinion, but share only when asked to. There is no right or wrong way about it. Opinions and advice are truly based on ‘perspective’. It does depend on how you look at things or why you look at it in a certain way. We cannot discard the usefulness of opinions and stay mute forever. They definitely enable conversations, ideas, discussions and conclusions. But at the same time, it is ok to not have a say over things. Framing opinions as a form of moral obligation is incorrect by all means. You may not know about a certain domain, hence it is acceptable to stay so.
While opinions are healthy and beneficial to a certain extent, they tend to escape into judgements, more often than expected. Respecting the thin line between these two is necessary. As we frame opinions, we are tempted to pass incorrect judgments, leading to more chaos in the process.
Accept the fact that we may not know-it-all and enjoy the experience of not having an opinion. After all, ignorance is also supposed to be a bliss, right?
-Lavanya
www.facebook.com/wordsbylavanya
Lavanya’s Featured Publication Pages:
