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Par For The Course

News & Issues > Facts Vs. Opinions
 

Facts Vs. Opinions

After reading nearly 50 pages of a book written by a "reformed liberal", I got so mad, I had to quit. (title and author to remain nameless)
This right-wing extremist was spouting out opinions as if they were facts ("liberals are lazy" (as in work ethic)). I got to thinking about the things he was espousing, and jotted down several "opinions" that are often accepted as facts (some his).
Such as:
Astrology has merit.
Unions are bad for the economy.
Homosexuality can be cured.
Poverty is inevitable.
The Bible is infallible.
Rap (music) is cool.
College is necessary to make more money.
This is a racist country.
Nuclear weapons are a necessary evil.
Drinking a glass of wine is good for you.
It's good to aid foreign countries with money, weapons, peace corp volunteers, etc. (altruism)
It was best for the American Indian to be subjucated.
Republicans are idealogically mistaken.
It is kindness to give a few dollars to a begger. (What if he spends it on alcohol?)
Guns don't kill people. People kill people.
We were founded as a Christian nation (and still are).
Life begins at conception.
The earth is getting warmer.
Increased U.S. oil drilling is good for America.
Man cannot live without religion.
It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game.
Wealth should be shared.
All men are created equal.
I could continue with an inexhaustable list. It could be simply doubled by a "negative" (Ex: "All men are NOT created equal). Sometimes it's difficult to differentiate between fact and opinion. Many of the statements above fall in a gray zone.
Not only is it hard to separate fact from opinion, but it's a question of right vs. wrong. Is slavery wrong? Today it is, "yesterday" it wasn't--at least not to southerners.
Debates over a plethora of issues have raged for centuries. Politics, religion, social, culture, environmental, and so forth--two or more sides fighting it out--good vs. evil.  Here's the rub. Does one fight for his beliefs (opinions), such as "protesting" (OWS)? Or does one silently sit on the sidelines without expressing an opinion one way or another? Do you have an opinion?

posted on Nov 19, 2011 6:21 AM ()

Comments:

The gray area is immense isn't it.
comment by elderjane on Nov 26, 2011 7:39 AM ()
"Astrology has merit"
After reading that, I wouldn't believe anything else the author says.
comment by crazylife on Nov 21, 2011 8:39 PM ()
I am confused about some of your items. A daiy small dose of red wine every day is encouraged by the medical profession. What is meant by "how you play the game", is that moral process is more important than winning. I personally believe that. I am beginning to believe that this is more a racist country than not. The All men are created equal line was not intended to mean we were born equal, but that we are equal UNDER THE LAW. Unless, of course, you can buy your way out.
comment by tealstar on Nov 19, 2011 9:12 PM ()
Somehow, when I wrote the post, I had an idea of where I was going. Then it became muddled and confusing. I didn't do a very good job of explaining my objective (if I had one to begin with!). Not all my posts can be gems!
reply by solitaire on Nov 20, 2011 5:58 AM ()
Hope you checked this book out of the library instead of paying good money for it.
comment by troutbend on Nov 19, 2011 7:15 PM ()
Oh yes!
reply by solitaire on Nov 20, 2011 5:53 AM ()
Try mixing the sentences and you get things of about the same value:

All men... should be shared.
Wealth is... created equal.
Life begins.... without religion.
Man cannot live... at conception.
Homosexuality... is infallible;
The earth... is inevitable;
Life... is getting warmer.

comment by drmaus on Nov 19, 2011 12:19 PM ()
Interesting.
reply by solitaire on Nov 20, 2011 5:53 AM ()
I go with the first one!!!! YEAH!!!!
reply by greatmartin on Nov 19, 2011 2:00 PM ()
Such a weird mix of statements tells me this isn't David Mamet's book.
comment by drmaus on Nov 19, 2011 12:11 PM ()
You're right! It is Mamet's book. I should have said "reformed ex-liberal". I'm not sure why I checked it out--curiosity got the best of me. Sorry I did.
reply by solitaire on Nov 20, 2011 5:52 AM ()
Plus no 4 letter words so how can it be Mamet??????
reply by greatmartin on Nov 19, 2011 1:59 PM ()
I don't know what you are trying to show up there--seems to me to be a lot of facts up there such as global warming--are you saying that is an opinion?
comment by greatmartin on Nov 19, 2011 6:56 AM ()
That's part of the point. The line separating fact from opinion is often gray.
That last cheeseburger you ate--was it in fact delicious, or was it just your opinion that it was delicious?
reply by solitaire on Nov 20, 2011 5:50 AM ()
Yeah, there are a few facts in there: The life of a zygote begins at conception, but that doesn't give it the right to vote or anything; the earth is getting warmer, if we're talking about surface temperatures; and man may not be able to live without religion, if you equate religion with superstition. Superstition may be one of the ways we naturally think.
reply by drmaus on Nov 19, 2011 12:26 PM ()
Is OWS fighting for beliefs or change? Justice? Equality? There are people who will go on and on trying to convince the "listener" that what they are saying is worthy of belief (accepted as fact, perhaps?). Typically (in social media specifically) I state my position and let others have their opinions. I'll post more than once for clarity, but I'm usually not out to convince anyone of anything. There are times in real situations where I will push an issue on principle, but not very often.
comment by jjoohhnn on Nov 19, 2011 6:41 AM ()
I agree.
reply by solitaire on Nov 20, 2011 5:47 AM ()
I agree with you but still a little confused
reply by dogsalot on Nov 19, 2011 9:38 AM ()
Yes, yes and yes!
reply by greatmartin on Nov 19, 2011 6:55 AM ()

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