I No Longer Have an Opinion

I have decided that I will no longer have an opinion about anything.

Of course, I will still have opinions, but I will no longer share them or express them on social media. I am tired of being attacked by those who don't like my opinions. An opinion, is, of course, just that -- my opinion. It's what I think about something. It's how I feel about something or someone. One definition of an opinion is a view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge. Like it or don't like it, my expressing my opinion about someone or some thing is no reason to attack me. My opinion is not a personal attack on others.

If I say that I don't think it's a good idea to feed a dog a plate full of tacos (five or six full-size tacos, at least), that opinion is based on fact. The greasy taco meat could well cause the unfortunate dog to develop pancreatitis. Tacos are not part of a dog's, or any four-footed animal's, natural diet. So my opinion is an informed one. It should not result in attacks on me. A video of the dog devouring the tacos isn't 'cute' or 'funny' as many believe. Those attacking me are doing so simply for holding an opinion different from theirs.

If I offer an opinion about the current abysmal state of politics and the self-centered ruling party in the United States, on my own, personal social media page, I don't want to be attacked or told I need to produce proof. I do not want to engage in an argument with somebody who employs the same bully tactics as the current American president. I don't need to provide proof of my opinion. Like my opinion or don't like my opinion, I refuse to argue about it. 

If I reply to something and state a fact incorrectly, I have no problem with my fact being corrected. I may recall something incorrectly, or have stated a fact incorrectly. But my opinion is not open to 'correction.'

My first reaction to any attack is to attack back, or to tell the attacker to STFU. But I won't do that. That won't change anything. It will further inflame the situation. So for the sake of my sanity, I plan to no longer offer an opinion about, or respond to, anything posted on social media. I may continue to 'like' a given post, but I don't plan to offer an opinion. It seems that these days, anybody who offers an opinion about anything with which somebody else disagrees is open to personal attacks.

Well done, America. You have taken the next steps toward becoming an intolerant, unreasonable society unable, or unwilling, to accept, much less entertain, the thoughts of those who don't agree with yours. We are now a rude, uncivil, unreasonable society. Congratulations.