Are you opinionated?

Author - Chithra Viswanathan

Merriam Webster gives the meaning as  - Firmly or unduly adhering to ones own preconceived notions.

Your opinion is your view, belief, or judgment. If you are opinionated, you obstinately hold on to your opinions, and you don't hesitate to let other people know what those opinions are. Opinionated is based on the word "opinion," which itself comes from the Latin word opinari, meaning to think.

Someone who isn't afraid to give their personal opinion. It doesn't have to be a bad thing. It's just someone that doesn't stay quiet, if they don't agree with something. 

Perhaps dogmatic is more apt a word for them.

The only people who see it as bad and attach stigma (like the other definitions) to it are those that don't like to hear opinionated people talk. 

Perhaps they feel intimidated or over ruled at times!

But, yes, you can be opinionated and polite at the same  time. Being polite doesn't  mean you have to agree with every objectionable thing that's said. 

Just because I'm opinionated doesn't mean I am obstinate. I just like to share my views

If you read "between the words", do you not agree that all of us are, in a smaller or larger measure, on one subject or other?

A few are definitely conditioned beliefs from childhood.

I definitely feel the computer and Internet have made it very easy for most of us  to rant.

They have made people overly opinionated.

In fact, now, many doctors feel so about us, when we go to them for consultations. Nothing wrong in going to them with a basic knowledge about your condition, but it definitely is not right ( call it very bad) to ask them doubts, with our half baked knowledge. 

Infact, there is a joke which circulates :

A doctor put up this board at the entrance to his consultation room:

Those who have already consulted Dr Google are barred from coming here for a second opinion .

I have a friend who does this without fail. Whenever he asks me what medicines I am taking for a particular illness, I reply to him reluctantly, call it choicelessly because , at once he comes out with the statement that the doctor should have known better and comes out with his own prescription!  Not only stopping with that, he gives a list of all unpleasant side effects my present medicines are likely to cause. Like dizziness, flatulence, headache etc... Frankly I do feel rattled,for a minute.

How do you solve a problem like this dear friend, tell me

Some ideas were dinned into us by our parents, when we were young. They were relevant at those times, though not any more. But we do have a weakness for them, just cannot help saying.

Inevitably, as we go through life, we will encounter many individuals who are highly opinionated. Whether they are friends, family, or colleagues, these types of people can get on our nerves. No matter what the topic of discussion, they are quick to assert themselves as the "expert" and offer insights to whoever will listen. When it comes to highly opinionated people, you'll either have to decide if you want to confront them or just learn to accept them for who they are.

If by any chance you feel harassed by them,  simply deflect: "Let's talk about something lighter, can't we? Tell me, how is that new baby of yours?"

There is no choice for us. 

Follow this for yourself:

To be taken seriously, try being educated instead of opinionated.” 

There is no choice for us. 

Follow this for yourself:

To be taken seriously, try being educated instead of opinionated.”