We all know the end of the quote. Everyday we face opinions of others, and sometimes we have to face our own.
The word opinion has been thrown around in really weird ways. So I am going to post the definition straight from Dictionary.com
o·pin·ion [uh-pin-yuhn] Show IPA
noun
1.a belief or judgment that rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty.
2.a personal view, attitude, or appraisal.
3.the formal expression of a professional judgment: to ask for a second medical opinion.
4.Law. the formal statement by a judge or court of the reasoning and the principles of law used in reaching a decision of a case.
5.a judgment or estimate of a person or thing with respect to character, merit, etc.: to forfeit someone's good opinion.
I am going to delve into the first 2 particular uses, and how they apply to us as gamers.
Regarding the first definition, an opinion is meant to be changed or corrected. If we find out new information, our opinion should curtailed around it. This does not mean someone is flip flopping on an issue. It simply means one has become more enlightened. Our opinions should also not be based solely on information that seems to agree with our opinion. A real life for instance: In the early 1900's doctors. based on one only one flawed study, believed that babies up to certain age did not feel pain. They wanted to believe this because they were losing too many to the anesthetic. The result? Open heart surgeries and other invasive procedures without any anesthetic, despite numerous ensuing studies saying otherwise.
Should their opinion have changed after other studies, or was it during the surgeries with the screaming babies?
Regarding the second use of the word, we as humans are not always right. Many factors affect our opinions. Past experiences and our emotions can make an opinion, positive or negative, completely irrational. So should we always trust our opinions?
You can not have an opinion that opposes a fact! For instance, 2+2=4, there is no way someone can say it can =5. You can not say "in my opinion all pit bulls are bad dogs", simply because they are not. You can say, " i believe pit bull's are dangerous dogs in the wrong owners hands because of their strength." The opposite opinion could be "Pit bulls seem to be naturally aggressive and so i wouldn't trust them till i got to know them." There has to be an ambiguity to the issue at hand.
There was a celebrity that said something really stupid. I wish i could remember which one, but i think it was a Kardashian. The result of the backlash, the statement was something like this 'people should respect people's opinions'. Ummm sorry no. Yes we have free speech, and I may have to hear your stupid ignorant opinion but that does not mean i have to respect it. And if the opinion is wrong, it should be corrected. Would I go to a farmer about getting brain surgery? Are the opinions of terrorists correct? Should I respect Hitler's opinion of who undesirables were? No. Obviously these are extreme cases, but the point certainly made clear: Not all opinions matter, nor should all opinions be validated or respected.
So when it comes to video games, there seems to be many different opinions. Opinions pro Sony, pro microsoft, pro nintendo, or the opposites. These opinions can be valid, but when people ignore the facts such as nintendo's obviously weak system specs as a major hindrance, it is ignorance and stupidity. There are numerous other facts and data that people eschew in order to support their flawed opinions. And that is wrong.
Microsoft's marketing blunder is wrong by so many standards. It is unethical, insults consumers, and tarnishes others by their lazy response to the situation. We can not have an opinion that this is okay. Not for any company, Sony or Nintendo, hell even Sears Refrigerators. Why does our opinion about something not change despite constant, truthful news stating otherwise? Are we blinding ourselves so that we can feel better about the wrong thoughts that we had? Or are we just too proud to say I was wrong?
If someone says " I bought Xbox because...." and proceeds to point out a list of Pros they like and Cons that didn't bother them, then their opinion of where their money went is a valid opinion. If someone replies to them "Good to hear you supporting a console that tries to shove DRM down people's throat", while this person's opinion of the DRM issue is evident, the personal judgement is irrational and focused solely on being antagonistic. The response posed: "Well i liked some of the games of XBOX but once they tried the DRM thing, i just couldn't get past it" would be showing respect to a valid opinion while letting others know he could not agree.
While the Internet is a wonderful tool and should never be censored, it has paved the way to people to give opinions anonymously at the click of the button. And these opinions are often from clowns who have no real business giving one about numerous subjects.
So when we take a look at someones opposite opinion of a game we like or dislike, Or maybe a pro microsoft or pro sony comment that rubs us the wrong way, we should think before we write. Is it worth it? Is this person with all the information out there really believe this? Can I really say anything to change their mind or are they just looking to be argumentative? Am I just trying to be argumentative? Is my counter opinion well informed, or is just going to come off as another monkey with a typewriter?
We should have better opinions of ourselves when we can take information, digest it and respond accordingly.
WTMG's Leo Faria: "Zombies, Aliens and Guns is probably one of the least ambitious and memorable games I’ve ever played, but oddly enough, it was far from being bad. It fulfilled its reason to exist, which was to distract me for about two hours in a Thursday afternoon, entertaining me with its accessible controls, easygoing level of difficulty, and easy achievements. I played it, beat it, had a bit of fun with it, and will now probably forget about its existence. There’s nothing wrong about being competent but largely disposable. This is the equivalent of grabbing a tasty but unmemorable hamburger on a discount in a fast food joint."
It's time to add two more games to your library for free from the Epic Games Store.
GSC Game World has shared a new gorgeous trailer of STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl, as well as a few screenshots.
Thank you Xbox for saving this game from development Hell.
This is what contributing to gaming looks like.
Keep doing this. THIS is good for competition. *This* is good for all gamers, regardless of platform.
An opinion about opinions so that others can opiniate about their opinions and opinions in general.
in my opinion its a waste of time talking about this.
But what about when it comes to facts. For instance, today, I was engaged in a back and forth with another user who made a claim based on his/her belief.
I countered with the accepted definition of the term that is found throughout the industry and in dictionaries. The person claimed that I should pick up a dictionary...after I quoted (with quotation marks) the definition.
Fact v Opinion.
But what really bothers me is the idea that people can't willingly accept that they were wrong (as I do, as often as I can.) Here is proof of me accepting being wrong:
http://n4g.com/news/1434698...
I just don't get it...
Excellent blog! Agree about not having to respect all opinions. I respect the right of someone to voice an opinion, but not the actual opinion itself if it goes against what I believe. The problem here is the inability to recognize the difference between a fact and an opinion, and those who view their opinions as facts are no better than those who view facts as opinions.