A Grain of Truth

A Grain of Truth

How do you know what to believe?

People will tell you anything, especially if it gives them a chance to express themselves and impress you at the same time! These statements are called opinions, and everybody has one!

According to Google’s dictionary, an opinion is a “view or judgment” and is not “necessarily based on fact or knowledge.” That means that what you are hearing may or may not be the truth or even be based on fact.

If the person sharing with you is an expert and the subject under discussion is within their area of specialty, you have a better than even chance that what they are telling you is truth and based on fact. You can be comfortable believing it. If they are not an expert and the subject is not of professional interest to them, the details you are hearing fall into the category of opinion.

We have already defined opinion. Believe what they say? Perhaps not without personal research! You probably have just encountered an opinion. Your choices are to accept it as fact or truth and then incorporate it into your own body of truth or dismiss it. Let’s suggest a third option that neither leads you to neither accept unfounded truths nor reject opinions and the person who holds them.

The middle ground to consider is that all opinion is based on some element of truth. It is the listener’s job to discern what part of the opinion comes from and reflects truth. The first step in looking for merit in opinion is to discard errors or non-truths. Doing this leaves you open to potential learning and keeps you from simply being judgmental and discarding the opinion completely.

Consider that every person’s opinion is formed based on experiences they have had. We all have different experiences. Thinking about how different our experiences are can make the vast array of opinions seem more reasonable. What are the economic, emotional, or spiritual experiences of the opinion holder? How have these experiences affected the particular opinion under consideration.?

An external factor influencing opinions may be the level and quality of education to which the opinion holder has been exposed. Education, either academic or practical, may add insight into the formation of opinions. It also adds a factor of how equipped they are to evaluate the facts that come before them. Like experiences, exposure and critical thinking are important in the formation of opinions.

The level of impressionability of the opinion holder may factor into their opinions. Are they easily influenced by their peer group? Do people in positions of authority impress them? Do they accept the opinions of those they respect without question? Once accepted are their opinions firmly seated and any further input or new ideas summarily rejected?

Regardless of whether the speaker is basing their opinion on their experiences, their quality of education, or their ability to think critically about ideas, or simply their steadfastness to opinions held and promulgated by others, for each opinion, there is something close to a grain of truth. It is an advantage to be able to discern that grain of truth. As a listener it is our job to consider the influencing factors. Where did the ideas come from? Are there elements that might merit further research? If the opinion differs from our own, don’t jump to complete rejection until you have considered all the elements involved in its formation.

Once consideration of all the elements has occurred, certainly the listener will be more aware of the subject and more informed in their own opinion. They have found the grain of truth. It may not lead to the same opinion, but it will go a long way toward not rejecting the holder of an opposing opinion!

Want to know more?

“Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff” by Richard Carlson, PhD

Or Google “opinions” online.

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