"Everybody Twitters. And everybody blogs. But nobody is sayin' s**t, they just copy, paste it all. That's how one person's opinion becomes everybody's thoughts. When the blind leads the blind, then everyone gets lost."
One of the realest lines EVER by the Kansas rapper, XV off his Everybody's Nobody joint from the mixtape of the same name.
Nowadays, people are very strong in their opinions about anything and everything. They will do anything to push their views on others and won't lay off until they get someone to feel the same way they do. But how many of opinions are actually their own? How many people can say that they independently came up with great views without biting someone else's? And if we're looking for guidance, who's opinions do we give value to?
You'd be lying to my face if you told me you've never contributed to, started a, participated in or at the very least, read a blog before. If you found this article through Twitter, you, my friend, are a blogger. Because unlike Facebook, Twitter isn't listed as a social networking site. It's a micro-blogging site. Got you.
By the way, I should note that there are some sites that may seem like a blogging site but are really not. Intelligent writing sites, you can say. (*cough* Eljay *cough*). Sites that are almost like news sites (without government bias and bullsh*t) in that they provide the facts with a slight twist. Much respect to those sites.
Back to the topic.
What kind of world have we come to where we turn to Twitter to hear the latest news about world events? Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great tool in some cases. If news is able to spread THAT quickly across the globe, some great things may be able to happen. At the same time, people take advantage of this resource. Every week or so, some new celebrity or person in high status is a victim of a "Twitter death," where all of Twitter for a split second believes someone is dead. Then there are very outrageous stories that receive more attention than they deserve (see: girl performing sexual activities behind her school or sensitive/bitter guy that leaked private pics/vids of his ex). If a tool like Twitter is used in this manner, it lessens the value of truly positive issues like Occupy and Tahrir Square protests.
Staying on the topic of Twitter, I've seen one too many instances where someone is brutally attacked for stating an opinion.
"[People] base their opinions merely on what they were taught, what they were given, what their parents taught them."
Ironic how I just came across that quote while writing this piece up. Kanye said this during his live VH1 Storytellers performance almost two years ago. He stated this fact in a negative way. He wanted to show he was bulletproof against the hate he was getting. But let's take this out of context for a little bit and spin it to a positive light for a second.
I actually think that opinions based on experience are actually good opinions. Opinions that are based on some facts, some theories, some intuition. At the same time, these opinions should be presented in an amiable manner. I hate it when people force their opinion on someone else. If no one asks, don't push your way into a conversation. Don't knock others' thoughts just so you can get your own through. It all comes down to arrogance. If you believe your opinion is more valuable than the next person, you think of yourself as better than them.
On the flip side, opinions are becoming less valuable due to the things that are being said. It seems most people say things just to say it. They're completely baseless and even ignorant at times. Believe in whatever you say. Have some conviction in your thoughts and maybe your thoughts will be taken with greater consideration.
The greatest obstacle one faces in this society is wanting the feeling of acceptance by the greater community. The online community, more specifically. There is only one thing I can say to that: be strong in who you are. Don't be afraid to state your thoughts, views, opinions, etc. As cliche as this sounds: there will always be haters everywhere. No matter what you do, you will never satisfy 100% of those around you. You're lucky if you even satisfy 50% of those you actively associate with. Therefore, be you. Do you. Believe in you. Be rational in your own convictions while being open minded to others' opinions. Don't apologize for believing in what you believe in, but don't force your way onto others as well. Let your actions do the talking.
Again, just another post to get y'all thinking.
4 comments:
Reminds me of a quote I've heard. Not sure where it's from. But it goes something like "opinions become symptoms."
It has to do with peoples' individual opinions on things being looked at as if they were totally foreign, because of the impact of the majority.
I think a person's ability to express an opinion freely is an amazing thing. Especially with resources like Twitter or Blogger (like this lol). But I absolutely despise people who completely bring down someone else for their opinion. At the same time I hate when people force their opinions on others (it happens in our culture/community more specifically). Alsooooo at the same time, I hate when people say something just for the sake of saying something. It's completely pointless and baseless. They just wanna put themselves out there.
Reinforces my theory that all social ills come from the root cause of people not being able to express themselves properly, and therefore either revert to non-expression, which causes things like being asocial/antisocial, or they find ways to express themselves in extreme ways to compensate, which causes bullying/sexual frustration/domestic violence/unnecessarily "putting themselves out there."
Very well stated, sir Frazzy
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