To What Extent Does Individual Opinion Matter?

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Yes, sometimes discretion is the better part of keeping your head on your shoulders.
 
I have friends that like to debate politics on Facebook. It's not my thing but whatever.
 
The advantage of such medias is the power to penetrate other people´s minds, even to reach those they do not know, getting votes for those they are in favor (or against). Similar "broadcasting" can be gotten by using the radio, TV, twtter, etc.
 
Donkey, sorry, have to correct your definition on facts and opinions. An opinion can never be true or false. It is merely subjective. A fact can be proven true or false. Opinions are judgement, and facts are based on things that can be seen, heard, touched, tasted, smelled. In other words, facts are observed, and if they are true for one person, they will be true for another person, all the time, period.

And by the way, relative facts are not facts at all, but merely opinions that are masquerading as facts.
 
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so far, everything posted that i can see is opinion, and will pass away like the grass that grows one day and is gone the next day.(a little gold from the book of Proverbs, somewhere)

what matters is what Yahweh the Creator says. what does He say ? (it's kind of a secret; most of the world NEVER FINDS OUT - they don't like it and rebel against it......).
 
Donkey, sorry, have to correct your definition on facts and opinions. An opinion can never be true or false. It is merely subjective. A fact can be proven true or false. Opinions are judgement, and facts are based on things that can be seen, heard, touched, tasted, smelled. In other words, facts are observed, and if they are true for one person, they will be true for another person, all the time, period.

And by the way, relative facts are not facts at all, but merely opinions that are masquerading as facts.
But what if one's facts are based on opinion? (i.e., Pluto was accepted as a planet for decades and then in 2006 it was revealed that it is not actually a planet and was demoted.. now scientists are thinking of promoting it back to a planet again after much debate)
 
But what if one's facts are based on opinion? (i.e., Pluto was accepted as a planet for decades and then in 2006 it was revealed that it is not actually a planet and was demoted.. now scientists are thinking of promoting it back to a planet again after much debate)

Facts are either true or false. Does Pluto's size really change? No. Does the relative fact , based on judgement, (AKA Opinion) of the scientists change? Yes
Does this answer your question.
 
Facts are either true or false. Does Pluto's size really change? No. Does the relative fact , based on judgement, (AKA Opinion) of the scientists change? Yes
Does this answer your question.
Actually, my point was that until 2006 it was an accepted science-proven fact that pluto was a planet.

In 2006, scientists decided to change that fact based on their opinions of what the scientific definition of a planet really is (the fact changed based on opinions)

Now they are considering changing the fact again, making it officially a planet once more. (I think they may have already changed it back)

Moral of the story is - Facts are not the same as truths carved in stone. Many facts are actually based on opinion.

Aonther example:
One can say that being gay is 'in fact' a sin because its in the bible, but someone else can say that the bible is in fact just a man-made storybook and cannot be scientifically proven as being the word of God so being gay is 'in fact' just as normal as being straight.

OK maybe that wasn't such a good example, but I think it gets the point across.
 
Actually, my point was that until 2006 it was an accepted science-proven fact that pluto was a planet.

In 2006, scientists decided to change that fact based on their opinions of what the scientific definition of a planet really is (the fact changed based on opinions)

Now they are considering changing the fact again, making it officially a planet once more. (I think they may have already changed it back)

Moral of the story is - Facts are not the same as truths carved in stone. Many facts are actually based on opinion.

Aonther example:
One can say that being gay is 'in fact' a sin because its in the bible, but someone else can say that the bible is in fact just a man-made storybook and cannot be scientifically proven as being the word of God so being gay is 'in fact' just as normal as being straight.

OK maybe that wasn't such a good example, but I think it gets the point across.

Ok, maybe I need to be clear about what a fact is.
2+2=4 This is a universal law. It does not change, not for anyone.
Relative Facts (which are really opinions.) Pluto is a planet, no it's not a planet. Yes it is
Opinion: I think butterflies are really cute little insects.

:P
 
With that said, what are your thoughts? Is every individual's opinion important? Is every individual's opinion needed? Does every individual's opinion matter? To what extent are they or are they not important or needed?

Every individual has a right to have an opinion on a particular matter. It is an important step to having mature individuals. But whether every individual's opinion is needed or not depends on the issue. If it is with regard to my career or life decisions, I can choose to ask the opinion of those who I look up to. I don't need everybody's opinion. If it is an issue at church, then the pastor is free to consult those who he chooses to consult. On the other hand, if it is an election then everybody's opinion is needed and it is solicited through a voting system.

That being said, we need to keep our foot on the ground when people praise us and keep our head on our shoulders when they criticize us. It is important to respect a different opinion and to pay some thought to it. There may be some useful advice in someone's criticism which we will not notice if we become argumentative. People's opinion is important only as long as it is relevant and helpful to our need.