Who agrees with this: Opinions don't really count if there are facts to prove di

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   Penny Gposted 10 years ago

   Who agrees with this: Opinions don't really count if there are facts to prove differently
   
   It drives me crazy when someone when faced with the facts, still says I have a right to my opinion.

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   temptor94posted 10 years ago

   It is crazy indeed I agree with you. It's like arguing that the effects of gravitation is just an illusion. Such people probably just enjoy arguing or holding an opinion which goes against the tide. Who knows!

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      Penny Gposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      They sure burn a lot of bridges and alienate a lot of people, me for one. You have a very valid point.

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      Robert the Bruceposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Did you delete my answer, Penny?

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   NikiDivaposted 10 years ago

   False. An opinion does not have to be based on facts or even true. It is simply what a person think on an issue.

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      Penny Gposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Unfortunately no one really  listens when facts prove differently . Then again you have a right to your opinion.

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   Robert the Bruceposted 10 years ago

   I definitely understand. It drives me nuts to see some people who are so devoted to an ideal or belief system that they ignore obvious fallacies in the system. I believe truth can be found with facts. It takes a heap of searching though.

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      Penny Gposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Hmm no I never delete any answers, is there one missing? I will search until the earth blows up, until I find the answer, and I usually do.

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      Robert the Bruceposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I submitted an answer before. Must have been a technical error. My apologies.

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   junksellerposted 10 years ago

   I think you need to be careful in either direction. Let's use an example. Say we are playing a memory game where a 4x4 grid of images flash for a second and each is either a pig or a duck and we have to say how many ducks flashed.
   
   If I close my eyes and just say I believe there were 6 ducks, that isn't objectively very useful (even if I were correct by dumb luck). But what if I was looking, yet wasn't entirely sure if it was 5, 6, or 7, and still said 6? Then I'd be stating a fact as a fact even though I don't know if it is.
   
   Both of those are problems, and both happen all of the time. The reality of life, in my opinion, is that there are very few things for which there are clear and absolute facts, except for really simple things like kindergartner games, but then we almost never are in contention over anything that simple.
   
   That is why I think it is always important to qualify one's factual assertions. For instance, I could say that I am 70% certain that there were 6 ducks and I have been right 90% of the time. By doing that I am qualifying the probability of my factual assertion and providing some measurement of my 'expertise' on the matter.
   
   And for anything more complex, one should also provide support for their claim and context, but people really don't in general think like that, even for simple issues, and for really complex issues like global macroeconomics or global warming, forget about it...we have built a machine that we are no longer capable of even understanding (that part is pure opinion of course).
   
   And on top of all that, people sometimes are intentionally obfuscatory, tangential, or dishonest. Say we are playing our memory game and someone is asked how many ducks and they reply that there definitely wasn't 4 pigs. Well, what the heck does that mean? In this context it sounds silly, but for a deeper issue, these types of diversions can be very affective (in a nonconstructive way).
   
   Not entirely sure what my point is. I guess that facts are slippery suckers, and some 'facts', as much as some beliefs, quack but look like a pig.

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      Penny Gposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Aww It think I get it.

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   celafoeposted 10 years ago

   they do have a right to their own opinion and they will accountable for it.   Yes it is foolish on their part but its their right to be wrong if they wish.

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      Penny Gposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Yes and many times I just have to step out of the mess.

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   LisaKeatingposted 10 years ago

   A fact is a statement that can be proven true or false; it is not necessarily true. Opinions help us judge the facts.

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      Penny Gposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      HMMMM

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   dashingscorpioposted 10 years ago

   "Perception is reality" That is the code most people live by.
   For instance take our economy; the stock market is hovering around all time highs, interest rates for loans to buy homes are very low, unemployment has dropped to 6.3%, and according polictususa.com the country has had over 48 straight months of job growth. And yet even those of us who have not lost our job still do not (feel) the economy is improving. All formerly accepted economic "key performance indicators" mean nothing if people don't (feel) it.
   Another example here in Chicago;  The murder rate in 2013 was lower than it had been for decades. And overall crime is down 23 percent over the past two years. However you're not going to find many people who believe things have improved. In fact they're more likely to "question" the numbers. Even if an investigation revealed the numbers are off by 50% we'd still be at 11.5% lower but very few people would say things are moving in the right direction.
   "I'm entitled to my own opinion" is a commonly used statement to end a debate or argument. Essentially the person is saying; "I don't care what the (facts) say. I don't (believe) them and I don't trust them."
   If someone dislikes another person they automatically discount anything they have to say as being untrustworthy. Conversely if someone does (like) another person they'll defend/justify whatever that person said or did  until their dying breath.
   Belief, faith, hope , and (feelings) are impervious to facts. No matter who you are at some point you are going to rely on "instincts" or "got feelings" when it comes to making a choice about something even if (logically) or factually it makes no sense and was not the "safe" thing to do.
   It's a waste of time and energy to try and get someone to change their opinion/perception. If and when it does happen it usually occurs overtime and not in the heat of battle or during a discussion. We have to evolve on our own to change our opinion about something. Rarely do feelings/opinions change instantly no matter what evidence is presented. Our egos won't allow us to surrender our long-held opinions easily. Most people find it difficult to admit they were "wrong" about anything!

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      Penny Gposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Now that is exactly what I think and was looking for. I so don't work this way and this causes people to think I am odd, stubborn act when I I don't and won't make decisions under the opinion policy. Sometimes I think I am not from here!

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   mikejhcaposted 10 years ago

   I don't agree. Opinions still matter to people even if facts prove differently. It did drive my crazy when someone ignores facts because they go against their opinion. However now I focus more on myself. People have a right to their own opinions even if facts prove they are wrong. Besides facts can change.
   
   Opinions often count more than facts. Facts don't matter as much. That is why it can be hard to convince a person to change their mind. If you think about it a lot of facts are hear say. We basically just have faith that the facts are correct unless you actually test the facts yourself.
   
   People don't always trust the facts and sometimes they just don't want to change.

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