In the past, I’d been occasionally complimented (?) by some people that I didn’t impose my own tastes onto others (meaning, not having strong preferences, which kind of prompted me to to write this). But in reality, I do have opinions on a lot of stuff (maybe not as much as some). It’s just that I feel that arguing over it isn’t important and useful most of the times.

I don’t consider having an opinion a “bad” thing. Actually, I consider having an opinion an inevitable human (or somewhat like a biological) thing. Of course, one can argue that it matters whether it is of one’s own or just plained borrowed (meaning, without “verification” with one’s own judgment). If you don’t have your own reasons for stating a particular opinion, I don’t think you can consider it as your own, and I don’t think you have any grounds for stating and supporting it.

The bigger issue is figuring out when having an opinion becomes dogmatic. I meant by “dogmatic”, roughly, being unwilling to listen to different views from one’s own. Often, this results in illogical, emotional and personal attacks on the other parties during a debate or a discussion. I believe this is one of the most destructive state for a society (however, I am not saying that it’s unnecessary at all. Emotion brings out action, and that would be a different subject).

But on the other hand, you can’t just be quiet either sometimes! You’ll have to decided how far you are willing to push your opinion (partly depending on what you think of the other (conflicting) opinions).

What makes it more difficult is that deciding when it went too far is also very subjective. Within a homogeneous group or a society, it might be easier, but still each individual of the group has slightly different ideas about the same thing (emotionally, intellectually, ethically, etc.).

Again, this mumbling seems to go anywhere specific… Anyway, all this reminds me that the communication is the most important thing. It’s not like one’s opinions never change…

I’ve always thought that things (or facts) can be interpreted differently. Initially, I couldn’t quite explain why I thought so. But lately one subject keeps coming to me that might explain.

It’s very simple. As I mentioned earlier in this page, it’s all because of us, humans. Humans can think of more things than any other beings in the universe (that we know of), to put “values” on. Actually on everything we interact with, not only in biological or physiological sense, but also in conceptual or mental levels. And these levels of thinking or putting “values” can be different.

For example, I “believe” that the universe itself is “indifferent” (or impartial) to anything that’s in it. On the other hand, humans have to put significance on their own existence because it’s a string that gets attached to the gift of thinking. One factual event can have different meanings on a different levels (these include time, space, individual, groups, and level of views). Let’s say a tree was cut in a forest. To the logger, it’s a good thing because it will provide him with food and shelter. To our next generation, it might not be so because of the environmental damages. To the universe, it’s just one event in its timeless and ever-expanding history.

My point isn’t about “everything is relative; there is nothing good or bad; who cares.” My point is that it is not and should not be hurried to pass judgment on anything, especially based on facts not evaluated by each individual often enough. In fact, we need to put great efforts defining our evaluation criteria and need to re-evaluate themselves frequently as ourselves and our environment changes. We should care more about how we form the criteria because we need to judge (or put “values” on).

Actually, I started thinking about this again when a frequent question of “can one person make the difference?” came up again in a conversation. I said there something like it didn’t matter to the universe. Someone said that was one very sad view of the world. I guess “the world” and “the universe” there don’t mean the same thing. On the human society level, I believe the collective efforts from each individual can over time. I also think that most of the initiator of some social movements don’t get to see the fruit of what they started. As I said, it all depends where you are looking from.