Poll: Can opinions be wrong?

[DanDeFool]

"Well that's just my opinion," seems to have become a get-out-of-jail-free-card for anyone from racists to the mythical beings that say they don't like Mafia (it's OK my friends, they're not real).

I'm assuming you mean "Mafia Wars"?

EDIT: This has come up quite a few times now, and I think that a far better word to use is "invalid" as opposed to "wrong".

This. It really depends on what you mean by "wrong", and in this case "invalid" would be the more applicable meaning. Saying "I think FarmVille is a stupid game" is a perfectly valid opinion, because what you are really saying is "I don't like FarmVille". Saying "In my opinion, aliens live on Mars" is invalid because it's not a matter of opinion whether something exists or not.

Similarly, saying "I think is the one true God" isn't really an opinion either. Or maybe it is an opinion because it relates to an interpretation of religions, sacred texts, and personal feelings, much like Roger Ebert's opinion that Video Games cannot be art. I guess you have to be careful how you define "opinion" as well.

EDIT: Whoops! I just realized this post could potentially be construed as a trolling attempt in its previous form. Hope this fix avoids causing a stir.

 

[superbatranger]

Well, if the opinion is based on incorrect or unfounded factual evidence, then yes it is wrong. But, that doesn't mean the person who has that opinion isn't entitled to it. If they want to think that way, that's fine. It won't affect other people. Just don't expect the person next to you to agree with whatever it is you're saying.

 

[Billion Backs]

Opinions can't be wrong. Facts can be wrong.

If you say Earth is 6 thousand years old, that's an opinion, and it's not a fact because factually it's wrong. And nobody gives a fuck about such stupid opinions.

So, opinions can't really be wrong because they represent what someone believes and apparently believing in something is a jail free card. Not that I'm against that all that much. They do not represent facts, they simply represent a belief which may or may not be supported by facts.

Of course, then there's always the option of labeling everyone who has "wrong" opinions as insane, sick, infidels, or whatever until people oppose them. Basic manipulation.

 

[Woodsey]

This is something I often think about - especially when I'm on these forums - as it often results in debates becoming arguments

Arguing is not bad. In fact, debate and argument are essentially the same thing. I think the word you want is "bickering".

No, the word I want is arguing. Debating is not arguing.

 

[Woodsey]

"Well that's just my opinion," seems to have become a get-out-of-jail-free-card for anyone from racists to the mythical beings that say they don't like Mafia (it's OK my friends, they're not real).

I'm assuming you mean "Mafia Wars"?

Please say you're joking.

Please.

 

[kidigus]

it's acualy a fact that opinions can't be technicaly wrong.

 

[SilverUchiha]

Opinions are not facts, but thoughts based on facts. So Opinions are never WRONG. They might be misinformed, strange, or racist in some way... but they can't really be called "WRONG".

Some examples:

Scenario #1: A guy holds some hottie hostage on top of a roof downtown. I could say that I think they guy is a total prick for doing so and that's just an opinion and not a fact. Therefore, it's not wrong. For all I know, the guy snapped and he's nice normally. For all I know, she started it because she's a *****. I don't have all the information, but from what I can see on the ground below, he comes off as a prick and she has nice tits.

Scenario #2: A new Sonic games comes out featuring gameplay modes for Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles respectively as they fight Robotnik (and some other force) to save the world. I could buy it and say "this is fun and I love this game". Another opinion. Even if everyone else in the world calls it shit, if I enjoy it, who are you to argue?

Scenario #3: Someone posts a bunch of examples on opinions online because he's bored out of his mind. One could call him a loser who should get a life. But that too is only an opinion. Maybe he's being forced to do stupid things on the computer for his technologically challenged family. Maybe he's waiting until his girlfriend arrives home from her trip out of the country... or Maybe he's just counting down the days until he finally snaps and rips out the jugular of that annoying prick at work...

... hopefully this helped answer your question a bit.

 

[xXAsherahXx]

If the opinion differs from my own, it is wrong, simple as that. [:

 

[Edward Heffner]

all opinions are in my opinion just a different amount of right and wrong not either or

 

[DanDeFool]

"Well that's just my opinion," seems to have become a get-out-of-jail-free-card for anyone from racists to the mythical beings that say they don't like Mafia (it's OK my friends, they're not real).

I'm assuming you mean "Mafia Wars"?

Please say you're joking.

Please.

Oh sorry. I thought that was a typo; didn't realize there actually was a game just called Mafia.

My bad.

 

[Thaius]

Absolutely.

Let's take a recent example that hits rather close to home for most of us: Roger Ebert and video games. His opinion on video games as art is dealing with a rather subjective subject. Art is not exactly a clear-cut issue. So one could easily say that his opinion is just that: his opinion. But his opinion is based on a completely lacking "understanding" of what video games are and how they work. His opinion simply isn't valid because he has no idea what he's talking about. That is an incorrect, or at least invalid, opinion.

Sometimes an opinion just isn't worth respecting, because it's formed on lacking information. Most people who don't think video games are art, most people who think religion is a horrible thing, and most people who think animation is a kiddy medium fall into this category. With no good reason to believe something, the belief of it is an invalid opinion.

 

[DarkPanda XIII]

An Opinion can be wrong only if there are documented facts that disprove it. SO there

 

[Dr Snakeman]

Ah, crud, I accidentally voted "no". I think that really, really stupid or opinions can be wrong. Like the opinion that anarchy is a good idea, or that Jews rule the world.

Some opinions just shouldn't be taken seriously.

 

[Iron Lightning]

Were I of the opinion that 2+2=5, then I would be wrong. An opinion can only be wrong if it's objectively disprovable. Any purely subjective arguments can never be objectively wrong, thus subjective opinions are never wrong nor right. Although that is just my opinion.

 

[runnernda]

No ones opinion is wrong factually but if it's an opinion that goes against your opinion it can be wrong in your mind so... yeah

If their opinion is based on incorrect facts, though...wouldn't that make it wrong?

 

[Crystal Cuckoo]

If it is baseless, then yes, it is wrong.

 

[Woodsey]

"Well that's just my opinion," seems to have become a get-out-of-jail-free-card for anyone from racists to the mythical beings that say they don't like Mafia (it's OK my friends, they're not real).

I'm assuming you mean "Mafia Wars"?

Please say you're joking.

Please.

Oh sorry. I thought that was a typo; didn't realize there actually was a game just called Mafia.

My bad.

I will forgive you this once.

It's this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mafia_(video_game)

It's also the best game EVAR.

 

[Continuity]

No. That's why its called an 'opinion.' This is what ONE person thinks. And even if 6 billion other people disagree, they're not wrong.

Was Hitler wrong? In my and everyone else's opinions, YES! In his opinion, no. He had a right to an opinion. (HE DID.) He was a lunatic and will pay for his crimes in hell (or whatever form of it actually exists) but his opinion wasn't wrong because HE believed it.

You are completely wrong in your opinion I'm afraid.

Right and wrong (or more accurately correct and incorrect) are an evaluation of fact, opinion is not fact although it may or may not be based on facts, therefore it is possible for an opinion to be either objectively right or objectively wrong, though it may be neither.

Unfortunately despite the fact that you have an opinion and are entirely allowed to have one, you I believe are wrong in this instance.

An opinion cannot be wrong if one person believes otherwise. It's about a person's own belief. You can't tell them they are wrong if they don't believe it. Even if someone said they don't believe in gravity. There is scientific fact that disproves their belief. Is their opinion wrong? No. They believe it. It's about the individual.

I understand that people are entitled to an opinion but let me put it to you with an example:

You are in need of serious surgery, I do not have any qualification or experience to perform the surgery but it is my opinion that I can perform the surgery as well as any surgeon. According to you my opinion cannot be incorrect and so logically you have no problem with me performing the surgery on you...

You see where I'm going with that?

 

[tehweave]

No. That's why its called an 'opinion.' This is what ONE person thinks. And even if 6 billion other people disagree, they're not wrong.

Was Hitler wrong? In my and everyone else's opinions, YES! In his opinion, no. He had a right to an opinion. (HE DID.) He was a lunatic and will pay for his crimes in hell (or whatever form of it actually exists) but his opinion wasn't wrong because HE believed it.

You are completely wrong in your opinion I'm afraid.

Right and wrong (or more accurately correct and incorrect) are an evaluation of fact, opinion is not fact although it may or may not be based on facts, therefore it is possible for an opinion to be either objectively right or objectively wrong, though it may be neither.

Unfortunately despite the fact that you have an opinion and are entirely allowed to have one, you I believe are wrong in this instance.

An opinion cannot be wrong if one person believes otherwise. It's about a person's own belief. You can't tell them they are wrong if they don't believe it. Even if someone said they don't believe in gravity. There is scientific fact that disproves their belief. Is their opinion wrong? No. They believe it. It's about the individual.

I understand that people are entitled to an opinion but let me put it to you with an example:

You are in need of serious surgery, I do not have any qualification or experience to perform the surgery but it is my opinion that I can perform the surgery as well as any surgeon. According to you my opinion cannot be incorrect and so logically you have no problem with me performing the surgery on you...

You see where I'm going with that?

Yes, but in MY opinion, since "I" am the one who needs surgery, I would not allow you to do it because MY opinion clashes with yours. A patient has the right to refuse surgery from a doctor if he so wishes. Since it is my life on the line, I would win in that case.

But, if you believe that you can without medical teachings, you'd be right. "I" don't think you can, but you know...

That's just my opinion.

 

[ubermonkey37]

Only if it's based on a false fact.