Opinions

I am learning as I get older that an opinion is merely just an opinion: "a view or judgement formed about something, not necessarily based on knowledge or fact." As long as I remember that, it is much easier to accept someone's opinion without drawing conclusions about their judgement because ideally their judgement is their own. The same could be said with respect to my own opinion. The other day, my daughter said, "The most popular phrase right now is "no offense", which essentially implies I am about to criticize or condemn you but if I preface my negative remark with no offense then by rights you must take no offense. So here it goes: you look fat and wretched today but no offense. None taken!
We live in an interesting time: we post on facebook, some twitter and some don't, some people think that we care that they got out of bed yet at the same we are so afraid to express our thoughts and opinions in the event that we offend someone. When the truth of the matter is that it is merely an opinion. I have noticed several posts on facebook that I would deem rather abrasive and unnecessary; it is to the point sometimes that I wish I hadn't read them but then I remember that it is just an opinion not based on knowledge or fact. I have agreed to react to facts and to those who I believe are knowledgeable and disregard the rest. It has made it much easier to read the newspaper and realize that for the most part everything we read is an opinion and it is our responsibility to weigh the facts. We should never assume anything or take anything for granted. Or if all else fails do some research and then form an opinion.