A Day To Note...

Captain's log, 4:08 pm IST, 14th November, 2013. Watching TV.

On Different Opinions And Difference Of Opinions

So, there are opinions and there are opinions. I do like opinions. I like them because they help you look at things from one's own perspective. I believe that one's opinion about something or everything is defined by one's outlook and the environment around them and of course, one's own personal bias. I know so because that's how I form my own opinions. So, if I ever get dragged into a debate or am asked to give my 2-cents worth, in order not to disregard someone else's opinion, I always start with 'IMO....'. Considering how sensitive people are nowadays in nursing their opinions, the IMO phrase helps me skirt away from long-winded arguments about why one's opinion is much better and more important than mine. In recent times, the frequency of me using 'IMO' has increased so much that I am starting to feel that this phrase was especially invented for me.

However, whilst I do admit that every once in a while I get influenced by others' opinions because they seem to be honest, useful and good eye-openers, there are also times when I don't like opinions being imposed on me. Especially when I feel that such opinions are ill-formed due to a very narrow-minded approach to the subject or is based on limited (make that very limited) knowledge.

In this regard, one of the most common opinion that I frequently come across and vehemently oppose is that a person's academics are a direct indicator of his/her intelligence. And the reason I oppose this notion is because that every once in a while the smartest people ( by which I mean people who can think logically and use a bit of that uncommon sense called common sense) I come across are the people who barely scraped through high school. Unfortunately, in a corporate world that worships academic meritocracy as a religion, such an opinion does not hold much water. Which is sad. Sadder still is the fact the latitude that is given to these so-called academically distinguished smart people. Apparently, one should discount any visible lack of intelligence in a 'highly-educated' person as a sign of modesty whereas a neon-sign like intelligence from an 'average local college grad' or a dropout is considered as pure fluke. Having said that, surprisingly, these very same people who look down upon dropouts deify Bill Gates and Steve Jobs as the saviors of modern day mankind. Not surprisingly, more often than not, I get to see such biased opinions in people who always wanted to excel in academics and in life in general. But didn't. Normally, I can tolerate such people but for the fact that they try to be so assertive about their beliefs and opinions that sometimes it becomes exceedingly difficult to stay in the same room with them for more than two minutes. For this reason, I reserve my opinion about such people and also their blind worship of academia. IMO, their opinions seem too fickle to matter.

On a similar note, I have a different set of opinions about travel too. I usually like to go off the beaten track and skip the touristy spots. For instance, when I went to Las Vegas, I was a touch underwhelmed by the city. For me, it was not like how I had seen it in the movies. And definitely (and thankfully, in a way) nothing like how they show it in CSI. Maybe one of the reasons being that I got my first glimpse of it in daytime. But for my friends, it was like as it was advertised, a Sin City. They were bedazzled by the lights and the slot machines. And of course other forms of entertainment as well. So as we were driving back, while my friends extolled all the finer things of Vegas, I was slumped in the back seat keeping my thoughts to myself. IMO, the trip was a complete waste of time. And money. Darn those slot machines at Bellagio! Speaking of which, I kind of liked the musical fountain there. Which of course was a free show unlike all those popular shows which were apparently sold out. Anyway, as I kept my opinions about LV to myself and remained silent about it, my friends committed the cardinal sin of trying to impress upon me their views of LV as the greatest playground on earth. They should have known by now that what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Now I hated LV even more. So much so that on my next trip there, I preferred to drive further down to explore the sleepy streets of Boulder City and Lake Mead instead of nursing the previous night's hangover. Truth be told, I loved Boulder City. In fact, I loved it so much that I promised myself to go there again if my friends ever planned another trip to the Sin City. With me, that is. IMO, the chances of being invited on such a trip are quite remote now. Nevertheless, I must admit that my discovery of Boulder City happened due to a difference of opinion. 

In this way, I could go on about people I come across regularly who try to impress upon me their beliefs and strongly-worded opinions about things as varied as religion, godmen, politics, sports, cricket (especially cricket), movies, movie stars, and even girls without ever considering my opinions. They simply expect that I should agree to their views and be their follower the next time onwards. Needless to say, I find a lot of peace in avoiding such people the second time onwards. IMO, when you can't stand them, better avoid them. Truth be told, I have strong opinions myself, but at least I don't thrust them on others the way they do on me. 

Well, whatever be the case, the point I want to make here is, even when one is passionate about what he/she thinks, they should not impose it on others, especially when they know for sure that the other person's opinions will differ from theirs. It only widens the rift. And causes people to drift apart. Opinions should be respected and if not likable be politely ignored. I have seen people with widely differing opinions come together and have a great time while keeping their opinions to themselves or not making too big a deal about their views. They do  differ in opinion and not with each other. IMO, I think that it is good to keep it that way and just move on. Don't you agree?