How to Expose the Dangers of Uniformed Opinions
An uninformed opinion can be dangerous. It may be one of the most dangerous weapons on earth. It takes something not known or not fully known and weaponizes it in the form of words.
(Updated from September 19, 2018)
It may be important to be willing to listen to others opinions and ideas, but it is equally important to take time to research and understand the situation before you offer your thoughts and ideas on the topic at hand.\
#QuoteoftheDay
Your opinion
doesnβt change
THE TRUTH.
– Kathryn Lang

Perspective Has a Place
You have a perspective and your perspective is important to your journey.
Being offended because someone uses facts to discuss your uninformed opinion can be even more catastrophic.
The other day an image scrolled through my feed showing two people arguing over a number. Depending on how you looked at the number, either person was correct.

Often, I run into this situation in my house β where two people are sitting on opposite sides of the number arguing about correctness when they are both correct – depending on perspective.
It made me determine to stop long enough to hear the other personβs side before I shared my own.
Social Media has taught me some things about learning more before I respond, but there was more I needed to learn.
Perspective Does Not Equal Correctness
The same image popped up in my feed this morning and I scrolled past without reading, only to scroll back up because I had noticed something a little different.

The amazing point I had read a few days before was marked out.
I read what had been written below the marked-out lines.
I read it a second time.
Thatβs when the real aha moment occurred.
“Nobody wants to do research. They just want to be right.”
PRO TIP: The truth of feelings is not necessarily THE TRUTH.
It turns out that my perception of something doesnβt make my perception true. I knew that already, or at least that is what Iβve taught my children. But I still stumble into the place where Iβm looking at a number and dictating what the number should be β because from where I stand it is right to me.
Interestingly, the #Bizapalooza chat I attended on Twitter focused on critical thinking and it brought this very image back to my mind. Critical thinking requires digging past the surface to find the roots.
A Story of Perspective Gone Awry
In 2011, a tornado outbreak knocked out power in our community for a long period of time. The traffic lights weren’t working and people had to default back to the driver’s manual way of handling traffic.
The biggest problem was that most people only read and retained the knowledge of said manual long enough to pass the test and get their license.
People on main roads had the perspective that they had the right-of-way.
People on side roads had a similar perspective.
When those perspectives collided . . . well, you can imagine the mess.
The police took to social media and traditional media to “remind” (which really meant to instruct) drivers that an intersection with a traffic light that wasn’t working was to be treated the same as a four-way stop.
Perspective didn’t create correctness. Only the Truth made that distinction.
For the record, people still don’t retain that part of the driver’s manual no matter how many times the police “remind” them of its Truth.
Finding the Roots of the Truth

There is A TRUTH. How you and I live in that truth may be different depending on our experiences and personal journey – and your journey is ALWAYS personal.
But your journey doesn’t change THE TRUTH. If you are going to stand in a position then you need to be rooted in THE TRUTH to provide the structure you need to stand.
Steps for Critical Thinking
- Listen to what the others are saying and take time to hear what they are saying. Sometimes the point they are making is not the point meant. Itβs confusing enough when you are writing it out so without the art of listening it becomes impossible to understand.
- Take time to think about what others are saying or sharing. Itβs not just about right or wrong in most situations. There can be deeper issues at play. When you slow down and really invest some effort into thinking about things.
- Look for the original story. In the βcorrectionβ image, the writer recommends finding the person who painted the number because that person painted either a 6 or a 9 β not both. Knowing the reason behind the situation, and also finding the roots of the situation, can make it possible to critically think about the situation. It stays focused on facts instead relying on opinion.
- Check your facts. Even after you have found what looks like the heart of the story, back up what you learn with different sources. Three, verifiable sources will usually create a solid foundation of information.
- Take time to give your facts and the sources a last look to be certain you have all your ducks in a row. In other words, trust but verify. Much like in carpentry β where you measure more than once because if you cut it wrong (i.e. too short) you canβt add it back β in internet sharing you canβt take back what you put out there. Confirm and verify!
- Evaluate what you have learned. Is it something to put aside for future trivia games? Is it something you need to share with others? Or, more important, is it something others want to learn?
- Respond only when necessary β and even then think twice. Not everyone who is arguing wants to learn the facts. βDonβt confuse my opinion with the facts of the situation.β If your response is not necessary or specifically requested, itβs usually much better to walk away.
Opinions will always vary, and everyone will always have one. Just be sure that the opinions are based on the foundational facts before you continue. An uniformed opinion is a dangerous place to stand – for you and for those who you share it with.

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