10 March 2010

I have an opinion on everything

Someone I respect recently said to me:

"You know what I love about you, Claire? You have an opinion on everything!"

And it made me realise: I actually do. Furthermore, I realised that having an opinion on everything is actually a valuable tool in the art of conversation.

Or is it? Perhaps conversation is less about opinion and more about interests or even more broadly, "topics". I think there may be some fine line here, where conversation moves into debate. And it's not easy to pick someone who will want you to spit your views at them.

Fashion opinion: I has it.
Sexism opinion: I has it.
Cat opinion: I has it.
Men opinion: I has it.
Exercise and diet opinion: I has it.
Education opinion: I has it.
Work ethics opinion: I has it.
Generational differences opinion: I has it.
Lady Gaga opinion: I has it.
Level of appropriateness in grammar and semantics depending on your situation opinion: I has it.

So, I've decided that it's not that I have *nothing* to talk about, but that sometimes, plainly, I'm too scared to talk about it. On the Internet I will blatantly shout my opinion from the virtual rooftops, because I really don't care who thinks what. [Luckily, when my sister's boyfriend stumbled across a comment I had made non-anomymously regarding him on a website, it was a good one!]

However, with real-life people you simply, I think, have to worry what people think. Especially, and unfortunately, as an adult. Some of the people I know, I'm well aware are opinionated enough themselves that if I voice a particular opinion, I will get more than I bargained for in return. It's often easier, and directly related to my mood in fact, to just not go there. Some examples:
  • Brian Tamaki and the (supposed) values of organised religion
  • IRL colleagues and homeopathy
  • Anna and names that are prone to be shortened (she would know what I'm talking about; alas, she won't be reading)
  • Bex and the Twilight saga
  • religious people and religion
  • everyone and babies vs. pets (definite no-go zone for me)
  • Anne Tolley and education

So, in conclusion, I muse that I am not always confident enough to take the returned end of the bargain, and not feel it as a personal assault. Some days I am confident enough and these days usually make for a more satisfied and happy Claire. Maybe I should leave it at that for now, with the view that I may get even *more* opinionated in the future.

2 comments:

julie5 said...

You need to be more sure of yourself, what you have to say is valid and interesting.Shout it from the rooftops

Rachel said...

I think it's great you have an opinion on everything, as do I. =) As you said, please feel free to shout it from the rooftops!! I'll be glad to listen or should I say read it. =D