While it is true that the internet is full of knowledge (of varying degrees of credibility, but knowledge nonetheless), it’s also full of opinions (also, varying degrees thereof).
But communication and collaboration through sharing diverse opinions fosters critical thinking and problem solving skills, among many other things.
So, asking strangers on the internet for their unpopular takes on friendship is not a bad way to expand your cranial horizons. Earlier this month, a writer asked folks on X to share their unpopular opinions about friends that might just put them at the sharp edge of a knife. And then cranial horizons were expanded.
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Despite the potential for a dangerous outcome, folks were keen on sharing their takes and the post went viral soon after.
The post itself didn’t get all that many likes, a modest 1,800, but the metrics show that it was viewed 80-something million times. So that counts.
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The responses folks gave included the classics (“You don’t know your friends until you’re in need of support.”), the contemporaries (“Your friends don’t need to know everything about you.”), and the truths that never get old (“Learn how to fix things.”). All in all, the thread went viral with 8,000 likes and reshares as well as over 80 million views.
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So, why are opinions so important? The gist of it is that having opinions is important. New people in our lives bring new ideas to the table, it has potential for bringing about change, and that’s why it’s key that we as humans share them (within reason, of course, when asked or when the moment is appropriate. Otherwise, you might end up on r/NobodyAsked).
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The beauty of opinions is that they define us as individuals, not just allowing others to understand who we are, but also allowing ourselves to do the same.
Opinions require knowledge, which in turn empowers us to be more confident in ourselves as well as allows us to grow through discussion.
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The challenge with opinions comes with the idea of always challenging them. Keeping an open mind and tackling opinions through discussion can have transformative powers, empowering us to learn new things about the world and how diverse it can be, all the while empowering us to become better people and teaching us to accept that we might have been wrong in our beliefs.
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And while sharing opinions is not a bad thing, given human nature, it can go south really quickly in the wrong time and place. The obvious time and place is when nobody asked. Another wrong time and place is when the other person doesn’t have the aptitude for discussion, so forcing it might lead to a conflict.
Instead, one of the things that you could do is share experiences instead of opinions.
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The idea behind sharing experiences over opinions is what also makes human communication effective. Instead of sharing a conclusion, focus on the process of explaining how you got to it.
This should then be followed up with keeping an open mind. Because if you have a black or white “my way or the highway” attitude, it’s only a matter of time when everyone’s screaming and nobody’s listening.
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Sharing experiences means communicating where you come from and painting a clear picture through your example. And while your intention might be to teach someone based on your experience, it might not work, but it has the potential to shed some light and compassion on a worldview the other person might not have considered. And sometimes that’s more important.
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It’s more than fine not to share opinions, by the way. Some just find life much more peaceful that way because it doesn’t trigger those who can’t handle opinions. Or they might not want to be judged for that same reason. Or, even, it might not matter at all. Whether it’s because someone is a bit on the blunt side of things or they just don’t care. But if you end up talking, at least try to generate a positive and transformative discussion, and not a scream fest.
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So, what’s your take on any of this? The comment section is eagerly awaiting your input. But if that’s not your cup of tea, then you might just enjoy another listicle of unpopular opinions. Because we’re all about broadening our horizons.
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