uninformed opinion
Consider also that our opinions, more often than not, are shaped by the opinions of the people around us and the force with which those opinions are expressed. The more you speak in ignorance, the more likely you are to inspire similar opinionated ignorance in others. Intellectually indefensible enthusiasm is contagious in a way that apathy is not.
I'm a high school dropout with an AA degree. I have limited training, but I greatly value logic, the scientific method, and civil discourse and debate. I was hoping through blogging to improve myself, to learn to develop and express informed opinion. I now believe I was (once again) incredibly naive to think that I could have meaningful interaction through blogging. Instead I seem to have inspired "...opinionated ignorance in others" and myself.
I believe I need to do as the author of the above article suggested and "...read up or shut up." I don't know whether I will make another blog entry again, because as someone once said, "never argue with a fool, someone watching may not be able to tell the difference."
I do wish to express my respect for Fred for always interacting with civility, and for not presenting uninformed opinion as fact. But then, he didn't really take much of a stance on any issue.
Perhaps farewell, I'm off to eat my sour grapes.
posted by Jeff Kelley at 12:48 PM
2 Comments:
Jeff,
The article you reference from the Yale publication is indeed spot on. I do hope you will reconsider your decision to suspend posting on your blog.
Your opinions appear to be honestly held and in many respects resemble my own before I had accumulated lo these many miles. The willingness to post one’s views for “all the world” to behold and attack is, I believe a brave decision. As you are probably aware, Fred and I are to be categorized as libertarian although we by no means agree on all issues. We tend to evaluate the effects of any position on the basis of how it impacts liberty and insist that our opposing viewpoints are expressed without rancor. I hope that my contributions to your comments exchanges have not been construed as flip or sarcastic for they have not been intended as such nor have the other commentors appeared as engaging in anything like the visciousness so apparent in other threads.
If you mistake honestly expressed disagreement as an attack, you will often “have your feelers bent”. You have indicated that you intend follow the advice of: “read up or shut up” and that is true wisdom. I previously recommended to you the Thomas Sowell book “The Vision Of The Anointed”. If you read nothing else, you will have been exposed to one of the most valuable works of the late 20th century. Another important piece of free advice is “learn the viewpoints of those with whom you disagree”. You have mentioned Bill O’Reilly as an example of one whose views you would avoid. I violently disagree with many of his positions but also find that he has ones with which I am in accordance.
Good luck and MOLON LABE
No Jeff, don't go!
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