Stupid is as stupid does....

I suppose an opinion is an opinion, but an opinion can be based on truths or misconceptions. Opinions can also be based on truths that are selfish and mean-spirited. For instance, if you are a public service union member in Ohio, your opinion is that you deserve all the perks you are used to, even if the city cannot afford it and the taxpayers are going to have to reach into their own pockets for this to happen. In their opinion, they deserve the free healthcare and free pensions, but that does not make it just or fair.

I don't believe that any government employees deserve any extra perks than anybody else. If *I* have to pay for my own insurance, so do they. If *I* have to purchase my own car and pay for my own maintenance and gas and registration, so do they. If I have to pay my taxes and property taxes and other assorted things, so do they. Nobody (in my opinion) is deserving of taxpayers paying ANYTHING for them beyond a small salary which should be solely dependent upon the quality of the work they do and measured by seeing how much each individual actually benefits the general public in the area they work. If they are not doing what we want, listening to us, etc etc, they should not be paid at all. These people should NEVER be getting ANY perks that are paid for by taxpayers. They should not get free vacation, pension, retirement - paid by taxpayers. Tax money should not pay for their bonuses, their parties, or anything else. Otherwise... guess what? I SHOULD GET THOSE THINGS. LOL! Why? because I'm a person too. Because they don't do anything that I don't already do, and I do it better.

Opinions are not right or wrong though. I point out to that person all the time that what he claims is 'right' and 'fact' is only his opinion. My opinion is only my opinion too, but I don't go round saying 'I'm right and you're wrong'... nope. All I say is that I disagree.

For the most part, if someone really has no interest in a topic, like someone who doesn't like kids, shouldn't be going around looking for topics and discussions about kids to get into and argue with people. If that's what you mean, I find that ironic that someone would do that.... If they are purposely going around HERE to look for YOU to post mean things, then I'd consider that stalking and I'd probably report them for harrassment. There certainly are a LOT of discussions here, plenty for an active mind!

Yes that is exactly what I mean. I guess that would be harassment. I never really thought of it that way but it's true. Yeah I'm hoping that they will stop responding to my discussions because that is all they do is try and argue with me. I try to respond to everyone but I've stoped responding to them. And I agree with you that it is ironic. Because the topic is about a certain thing and they know they don't like, so they respond only to argue.

Equal opportunity! I like that! And at least you wait till they have proven they are stupid to call them stupid. The person who prompted this rant discussion called everybody stupid before anybody even answered the discussion lol.

I don't like closed minded people who make a discussion sharing their opinion and then try to pass it off as fact. I probably argue most with people who do that because it gets under my skin so much. There are so many people who come here and read things, and the last thing I want is for all those people to think someone like that is any kind of expert. Every discussion I share is offered with my opinion. I NEVER tell people that my discussion is truth, nothing but the truth, so help me God. I don't tell them there is NO other way to skin a cat.... and that there aren't dozens of other viable options. It just really annoys me when someone tells people stuff like that in a discussion. There are gullible and innocent people who may actually BELIEVE THEM!

People shouldn't call you stupid for your beliefs, but you need to realize your beliefs are your beliefs. They are not TRUE for those who do NOT believe, and when you preach to others, that is not fair. That may actually be the reason people get angry, nobody wants to be preached at. I don't think you are ignorant either, although you should remember that there are MANY different beliefs and each of them matter to somebody.

I completely agree with you. I do the same thing when someone starts insulting my beliefs. There's a difference between sharing your opinion and insulting a person. And I've noticed an individual who particularly looks for discussions about God or religion to insult a person's belief. I as well don't insult another person's belief if we disagree that's fine, but I'm not going to insult them. I respect a person's right to their own thoughts and views. We all have free will.

Ps for me it's also not about being right or wrong. In so many cases there is not just one right or wrong it's just an other point or view or other experience.

It's not that I care what people think of me, I don't understand why someone would post up a discussion and then state 'anybody who doesn't agree with me is selfish and stupid'. I can think of a discussion right now where the original poster pretty much wrote that word for word IN his discussion paragraph. Of course I called him out on it lol. It never really IS about 'right' or 'wrong'... it's about differences of opinion. So many people try to claim their opinion is right and no opinion can be right, it just IS. In the same vein, no opinion is WRONG either. I love this place due to all the different viewpoints, but I enjoy reading things more when people try to be open minded.

Oh I rant now and then but I don't call everybody stupid, I would be wise to just avoid this person's posts but I feel inclined to point out to other people what he is doing lol.

That's good. I like to hear other thoughts and views too, but I just want the view. I don't want their opinion of MY view, unless it's non judgemental lol.

I'm pretty tolerant of a lot of things some people just aren't. I believe we should always have choices and people who are tunnel vision and only want ONE WAY or ONE THING just shouldn't get their way. One size doesn't fit all... everybody is not going to be okay with one way because a certain person thinks everyone should see things their way. I don't see how having a different view is ever selfish. For instance, I was called arrogant once because I told someone I leave my computer on all the time. He said I was wasting electricity even though it was MY COMPUTER and therefore MY ELECTRICITY. My goodness but people make things personal when it has nothing at all to do with them. LOL! The only reason he would ever have the right to say anything would be if HE was paying my electricity. He lives in another country so the chances of that are pretty slim lol.

I like how you are not judgey towards other people. I try not to be but when someone calls me stupid, it raises my hackles... or if they say 'your opinion is stupid' or 'you are wrong'. I am not stupid, my opinion isn't stupid, and I'm not wrong. I point that out to people any time they lose their head and say things like that lol. I've learned that in a lot of cases, I am HARDLY the only one who has a certain opinion. The problem is I tend to be more vocal than a lot of others who might agree, and they keep quiet because they don't like arguing with idiots. I don't much like arguing with idiots either but I can't not speak my mind.

Every opinion IS personal, and as long as people remember that and don't go about trying to pass off their opinion as fact or truth, I have no issue with any opinion.