Don't let me be passionate about my opinions
an uneducated opinion on opinions
by Brian
In this episode of Sickboy I recalled a time when Taylor and I were in the Halifax Central Library and came across an ad for an interesting seminar. "Do You Bubblewrap Your Children?" It was a session for overprotective parents. I asked Taylor how many parents he thought would go to that that actually needed to be there. "Probably none," he said. We both agreed to hold each other accountable to being open minded about these types of things in the future, but I also believe it's important to hold yourself accountable too. There's two important ways you can do this; through unbiased education and reflection.
Some of the coolest things we share as human beings include consciousness, self awareness, and complex language. We are able to communicate ideas and form opinions. There are topics we become passionate about because we can relate or we see ourselves within them - but seriously - don't let me be passionate about my opinions until I've done my due diligence. I believe that if you're extremely passionate about a debatable topic than you owe it to yourself to know absolutely everything about it. That being said, you also owe it to yourself to research the fuck out of the opposing side too. Imagine if in court they only heard one side of an argument, we would call that an injustice. Education is power, but when forming strong opinions you should always research multiple sources. Analyze your findings and collate them against your own personal values. If they're a true reflection of yourself, only then have you earned the right to be outspoken on the topic.
Speaking of reflection, if you're outwardly projecting your opinions, you should definitely be staying current on news, updates, or any other developments surrounding them. I think we can all agree that the world is ever changing and evolving (come on Jesus people, I'm not talking about Darwinism - but maybe you guys should do some more research too). As humans WE are ever changing too. We can choose to be malleable, adaptable, and understanding or we can choose to resist it. The most important thing is that we are our most authentic selves and that we are as honest with ourselves as we are with one another.
Through education and reflection you can be sure that your opinions are a reflection of your true self. If you take anything away from this post, let it be this: be true to yourself and stay educated.
Love you guys always.