Is Everyone Entitled To Their Own Opinion?

 (Wow, I just read this thing over again and it sounds so frakkin’ academic. LOL =p Take note that the following is not an attack on anyone. It’s just me letting my thoughts flow.) 

I’m sure we’ve all come across this idea in one way or another in the course of our lives. I subscribe to this belief. Lately though, I’ve been questioning it.Everyone is entitled to their opinion and everyone else should respect that. And to maintain good relationships, people should learn to agree to disagree.

The problem comes in I guess, when the statment above is used as an end to a specific matter. When one says that he is entitled to his own opinion, which is why further discussion isn’t needed/wanted, then I suppose that shows a dislike of pursuing the truth and continuing with the argument. The application of the statement means absolutely nothing in the aim of actually achieving anything… or so I understand.

And speaking of arguments, there are times when an argument turns into a contest of who-can-win-the-other-over-to-his-side instead of a rational point-counter-point discussion. When that’s the case and the cracks in the arguments are slowly being uncovered, the “I am entitled to my own opinion” line comes up more often than not as a product of pride, and people end up having hurt feelings rather than valueable learnings in the process.

I suppose everyone really is entitled to their own opinion. It’s just how the statement is applied is what matters. Is it applied as an end? Is it applied to cover the hole of a faulty argument? Does it have any application at all?

In the aim of actually achieving anything, maybe the statement doesn’t have any application at all. It may be a truth, but it doesn’t have any application. Or does it?

OR… maybe the question of the validity of the statement above isn’t what’s important. Maybe the pressing issue should be: “How tolerant should people be of others’ opinions?” Or more importantly: “How tolerant should people be of the consequences of others’ opinions?”

“I believe prostitution should be legalized.”
“My opinion is that you’re an asshole.”
“I think Jews should be wiped off the face of the Earth.”
“I believe Gossip Girl is a stupid show.”
“I believe terrorism should be supported.”
“Fall Out Boy sucks.”
“I believe there is no God.”
“Titanic is the best movie ever made.”
“Your wife doesn’t deserve a husband like you.”
“My opinion is that not everyone is entitled to their opinion.”

Should we just ‘agree to disagree’ with all of these statements? Take your picks.

And does everyone have an equal entitlement to their opinion? How would you think about the opinions of The Dalai Lama, Gandhi and Mother Teresa as oppossed to the opinions of Paris Hilton, Charles Manson and Adolf Hitler?

I’d say they’re all entitled to their own opinion, but I suppose it’s the manifstation of these opinions which is what matters.

It’s a shady subject, still. But for now, I guess it’s true… everyone is entitled to their opinion. But it’s also meaningless in the aim of actually achieving anything. The more important thought is how tolerant we should be to the manifestations of these opinions.

But then again, that’s just my opinion.