Your Opinion(s) of Others (page 3)

RAYZORBLADE

Hmm...this seems like a rather clever thread.

teejay

Life has convinced me of few realities that are beyond dispute, though there are a handful.

Among those absolutes is that a healthy percentage of the people I meet are likely to be full of shit. Another truism is that my opinions are at least as valuable to me as anyone else's. A third is that most people Life has thrust upon me would rather not think very deeply about most things but would rather take mental shortcuts, basing their meager thoughts and coming to their piddling conclusions based on what they've heard rather than what they've gone to the trouble of actually reasoning out for themselves.

Based on just those points alone, I've learned to listen somewhat to people's opinions and log them in the appropriate mental file -- not forgetting it, necessarily -- but relying more on my own opinions based on what I'm able to decipher about the person/topic/event for myself. I've learned over and over that a given opinion means as much -- if not more -- about the person holding it as it does about the person of whom the opinion is about.

I learned way back in jr. high school -- and let's face it, some people don't ever grow past *that* stage of emotional/spiritual/mental development -- that people are prone to gossip waay too much, are waay too cliquish, and have too many biases, personal agendas, and insecurities to care much about what the truth really is. Seeing the goings-on in that other microcosm of life (otherwise known as the Kingdom Hall) as well as in other social groups has done nothing but confirm what I learned 30 years ago. To many people, being "liked" is more important than having and supporting what's actually true so how wise would it be for me to give any weight to what they think or say?

Don't get me wrong. I care about my friend's opinions but their opinions don't determine my final decision ON ANYTHING. As it's been said already, if I did otherwise my life would be radically different today, not to mention less-fulfilled. So would yours.

StinkyPantz

PG-

It might not make sense to others, but being your fellow "whacko" I understod it perfectly and totally agree; specially this:

If you're just taking info from someone you really haven't gotten a chance to personally know, but who you sort of like on the boards - that's totally wrong. There are a few "whacko's" amongst our midst that wish nothing more than to cause dissension & empower themselves somehow at the ability to tear down others.

You're a smart cookie PG. . . (I don't care what all those other people have been telling me )

Aztec

Great question Stinky!

I form my own opinion of people. I'll be damned if anyone ever tells me how to think again. I don't normally warn people about others unless I really feel the need to. Whether or not they listen to me is largely determined by their state of mind. I think my friends are smart enough to make their own decisions. If they weren't they wouldn't be my friend.

~Aztec

StinkyPantz

Teej-

Don't get me wrong. I care about my friend's opinions but their opinions don't determine my final decision ON ANYTHING.

Oh, most definitely! No on makes a final decision on friendship for me. Thing is, I know something about myself. I have very often been a bad judge of character, so I listen.

Ray-

Why do I have to be getting at anything? A recent situation brought this question to my mind. That's usually why my threads are started. .something happens. . I think about it for a bit. . I ask others opinions. Sorry.

Scully

Real Friends:

Their opinion(s) matter. Real Friends are looking out for your best interests. If a Real Friend tells me to watch out for someone, I generally trust their experience/knowledge.

Fake Friends:

Their opinion(s) are worthless. Fake Friends are looking out for their own interests. Fake Friends give warnings and tell you to watch out for others to cover their own asses. That's what the WTS does when it tells JWs not to talk to "apostates".

Sometimes, the challenge is weeding out the Fake Friends from among Real Friends.

Love, Scully

pettygrudger

Sp - believe them (believe me)

Robdar

Was this supposed to make me feel bad? It did, but that's life right? We all need reality checks. . you mean someone one this board doesn't like me? Damn (Especially since no one on this board has met me). . . :

I was going to take your comments as a joke until I got your pm. So, to answer, no, it wasnt supposed to make you feel bad. Why would it make you feel bad? It's only the truth. The truth is, if I had listened to others opinions about you, I would have decided that you are somebody I wouldn't want to know better. I didn't listen.

Just because somebody hasn't met you in real life, as opposed to cyber life, doesn't mean that they don't form opinions about you. You are guilty of it too. And you were almost called out on it a couple of days ago by another member of this forum. Who helped you out, Bridget? It was me. If I wanted you to feel badly, that would have been a better opportunity to do so.

Be insulted if you wish. But none was meant.

Robyn

refiners fire

Hey Stinky. I know you WANT to believe I secretly HATE you and am only sucking up to you because im a lying deciever, but it isnt true. And you cant make it true. I LOVES you stinky. And no amount of PMs trying to convince me otherwise can do anything about it!!

Skeptic

Hmm...this seems like a rather clever thread.

As usual, I am probably missing something here. However, I found it to be an appropriate and interesting thread. I enjoy insights into how people handle social issues.

Your Opinion(s) of Others

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