Opinions should be carefully weighted before adopted as belief
By Lethbridge Herald on February 8, 2023.
Editor:
Black and white opinions seem to occupy right-wing views and their uncomplicated, straight forward positions often help the supporter to see those positions as being righteous.
The very fact that what appears to be obvious as it relates to the observer’s culture, religion or background, supports a dedication to those views. The danger, however, in an unquestioned discipline to those views is that they may be limited by those same subjective factors. That in turn influences the observer’s objectivity.
Most of us live under varied circumstances and come from a vast array of backgrounds and influences which make it very difficult, if not impossible, to ascribe a set of absolute truths that apply to everyone. In a democracy we have agreed that our legislators may pass laws that we should all abide by, but even then, those laws are subject to the interpretation by multiple levels of judicial appeal.
The short of it is that truth, or opinions, are not simple. They are more often than not composed of many shades of grey. Discerning the many shades of grey takes a more nuanced insight that is often the result of many years of life experience, education or both.
One thing is for sure, opinions that you might ascribe to others, or all people, should be carefully thought out and subjected to the weight of broad critical review before they are adopted as an absolute belief. Be careful of those who would have you think in black and white terms. They are most often appealing to the lazy nature of a closed mind, all in the cause of advancing themselves. We have seen it repeated throughout history in the promotion of destructive governments and politicians. The result has always been suffering.
Black and white is just easy, it’s not always right.
Peter Burns
Lethbridge
10-9
Your letter suffers from your limiting the assertions within to “right wing views”. Are you seriously asserting ” left wing views” are any less deserving of critical assessment?
A narrow focus can serve to turn a legitimate cautionary note into a mere propaganda piece and illuminate the writers bias a mere 8 words in .