Everyone ha their own opinions. Some of them we can agree on, while others are ones we can spend hours back and forth on in debate. But that's the beauty of being an individual—we are entitled to our own beliefs. As long as we form them reasonably and with as little bias as possible, we should have no issues feeling confident in them. People from all over the world took to the internet to share their strongest held opinions that cannot be shaken. Do any of these ring true for you as well? Keep reading to expand your horizons:
Don't forget to check the comment section below the article for more interesting stories!
#1 Just Go To Sleep
You can't control how you feel but you can control how you act. And if you can't control how you act, you remove yourself from the situation, go to bed, and try again tomorrow. That, right there, is my two-part, patent-pending method for living with bipolar disorder. "Just go the heck to sleep" is my first line of defense. It's amazing how often that fixes the problem, or at least brings it to a level where I can deal with it.
#2 I'm The Bad Guy
Sometimes the bad guy has a point, even if he’s still the bad guy. That’s what makes the best villains. They shouldn't have evil logic, just evil methods. Check out Thucydides' account of the Melian dialogue. It's a historical account of the Athenian empire having a similar conversation with a small island. They basically said, "Look, I know you're trying to be neutral, but we need you to just submit to us. Eventually, you'll have to choose a side anyway and so we're making that choice for you today. Don't bother resisting, we're too strong, just be sensible and lay down." When they didn't submit, the Athenians executed the entire manhood of the island and enslaved the women and children and that city-state ceased to exist.
#3 Keep The Curiosity Alive
Question everything. Never stop asking why are things the way they are. However, it is always worth noting that there is a difference between constant curiosity and screaming uneducated opinions. I also want to add: as a parent, keep answering your child. Keep them inquisitive, and venture forth when them when they explore. Start it early and they will always question and wonder.
#4 Quantity Matters
If you only get your information from one source, you aren't informed. And getting it from multiple sources can still mean you aren't informed. It's the quality of the sources, not the quantity. Looking for different perspectives on a story from all kinds of sources should be one of the most important steps in finding the truth (or getting closer to it) in today's journalism sphere
#5 Keep It Clean
Trash doesn't belong on the ground, so find a freaking trash can. If there isn't one, take your trash with you. My friends and I love to go hiking and camping and we always ALWAYS carry a garbage bag for our trash and any other trash we find along the way. From the big foodstuffs to empty cartons. It's really not that hard to keep the environment clean.
#6 In Their Shoes
Try to put yourself in the other person's shoes, understand their circumstance then judge. If someone is doing something that literally does not affect you or anyone else, leave them the heck alone. In the words of Jack Handey: "Before you judge someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you're done judging them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes."
#7 It Can Happen Here
It can happen here. It doesn't matter much what 'it' is, or how long ago it happened last. People are still people, we just have fancier toys now. It can happen again and it can happen here. Plan accordingly. This is how I feel while watching the protests in Hong Kong. Our rights here in the states are not guaranteed and I am not giving them up without a fight. There are lots of people who want me to be quiet so they can take away my rights.
#8 Embracing Differences
Just because you disagree with someone or dislike someone, doesn’t mean they deserve to be treated poorly. I was recently looking for a piercer so I reached out to a well-respected tattoo artist I know. He said his shop only did tattoos but recommended a guy that he openly admitted he didn't like or get along with, but this person was one of the best in our area. If you actively share that you don't like someone but still recommend them because they do good work, then that's the person I want to go to.
#9 Education Does Not Equal Intelligence
Being educated does not mean you're intelligent. If I learned anything in college it was this. I have two college degrees and I met plenty of stupid people while I was there, including some professors (not everyone was stupid obviously, but it was definitely more than a few). I've also met plenty of people who have never set foot inside of a university and they were significantly smarter than me.
#10 The Owl Is No Wiser
The owl is no wiser than any other bird, but he specializes in the night. The red-tailed rides the thermals better than any hummingbird who beat the wind. Meanwhile, the carrion birds gather about that which no other will eat. We are specialists and we are generalists, and we are all subject to our nature. Something to think about.
#11 A Broken System
The school system is broken. Here's an example: I still cannot believe they somehow make history boring. It took me until two years into college to actually look stuff up on my own and I was blown away. It’s the greatest story ever told and they reduce it down to the dullest, meaningless stuff. Ken Burns's documentaries should just be required viewing in high schools.
#12 False Alarms
Songs with sirens in them shouldn't be played on the dang radio. Furthermore, radio ads shouldn't be allowed to have honking horns in them! There’s a song on the radio that has a sound that sounds exactly like my car’s alert for when something’s wrong. It freaks me out every time. If you think about it, that can be quite a hazard while on the road.
#13 Save The Libraries
Libraries are absolutely vital public services. Politicians who attempt to bleed them dry through slow cuts to funding are depriving their communities of a fundamental good. The number of people who are reliant on libraries for just internet access is really amazing. I almost always see most of the computers full.
#14 The Ted Debate
I would rather be excluded for who I include than included for who I exclude. For example, you think Ted is a nice person but everyone thinks Ted is such a weird kid. You still choose to be friends with Ted even if people will also exclude you and think you're weird like Ted. But some people, even if they think Ted is okay, they will make fun of Ted so that others would think they're not weird like Ted and they can be in the 'cool' group.
#15 A Tug-O-War
Opinions should not be strongly held in the presence of fact. More so, opinions should not be strongly held in the absence of fact. It shouldn't, however, discredit critical thought. Even facts themselves can be manipulated to serve an agenda. But there are many things which are dependent on context, and that's when opinions and intellectual diversity are important.
#16 Mistreating The Staff
If you look down on or mistreat waitstaff, janitors, retail workers, etc. you are an awful person regardless of anything else. The amount of people who simultaneously demand service and then denigrate the people who provide it is too dang high. Never upset the people who prepare and serve you your food (or do it at your own risk).
#17 People Are Not Static Entities
People don’t always change. However, at the same time, people are not static entities. They are constantly undergoing new experiences, learning new things, meeting new people, and going to new places. This changes them, even if it is on a very small level. I know I’m not alone in saying I am a much different person now than I was in my 20s. Alike in some ways, very different in others. My life perspective has evolved (and continues to evolve) through accumulated experience.
#18 On MLM Companies
MLM companies should be banned. They mask themselves behind fronts and regulations. Basically, it should be illegal to require employees to "invest" or pay into their employment by owing the company money before they begin working. If it's required to do your job, the company pays for it and they make an investment in you.
#19 The Value Of Humility
My strongest held opinion is that we do not value humility enough. All of us, each and everyone, are flawed and ignorant and speak beyond what we should because of our own biases on a regular basis. Too often, we argue things or double down on things we are not properly informed about or have our judgment compromised by our own biases on and it only hurts all of us.
#20 Cheaters Suck
"If she cheats with you, she will cheat on you." My brother had a girlfriend who one day brought over her best friend to meet him. When the girlfriend was out of the room, the best friend told him she was a better cook, a better cleaner, and a better lover. He was basically convincing him to go out with HER, and not his girlfriend. So he did. He dumped his girlfriend and started dating this girl. When he told me, I immediately told him to dump her or he'll be sorry. He didn't and he was.
#21 One Life To Live
Always strive for improvement in physical condition, intelligence, and the lives of those around you. Since the beginning of 2019, I’ve gone back to school, I’ve been losing weight (84 pounds so far) and my fiancé is pregnant (about 5 weeks, it’ll be our first one for both). We have one life to live. MAKE THE MOST out of it.
#22 Find Your Purpose
Life's meaning is made, not found. Life is essentially meaningless. That really depresses some people, but I think it's wonderful. Similarly, 99.999% of people don't give a heck about you. Depressing, or liberating? It's what you make it.
#23 Older Not Wiser
Just because you’re older than me doesn’t mean you’re right and I’m wrong. We learn that knowledge isn't the same as life experience. For instance, someone who's fresh out of school may have more knowledge on a subject than an older person. The smart person learns from this, and the challenge on the older person is to understand that just because something has always been done one way, that doesn't mean its the best way.
#24 Dealing With Shady Politicians
Politicians are public servants and are there to serve the people. If they are found to be corrupt or partake in any illegal activities, they should have all their assets seized (therefore impacting their families) and then thrown in jail for life. The abuse of the public’s trust should be regarded as treason.
#25 Anti-Vaxxer Ignorance
Vaccines don’t cause autism and not vaccinating your child is freaking stupid. My baby caught measles last year because he came into contact with an unvaccinated child which resulted in him becoming so seriously ill for such a long period of time. I was always pro-vaccination but now I am much more vocal and advocate way more.
#26 Minorities Are Not Exempt
The fact that you’re a minority, whether it be by race, gender, sexuality, etc., does not stop you from being racist, sexist, or homophobic yourself. I’ve seen this way too much in my life.
#27 Trust In Science
Science should be at the heart of our decision-making process for all that is important. Side note: science is a method, not a result. This means that our body of knowledge will change over time. Embracing “what we know we don’t know” should be seen as a sign of strength, not weakness. But we should always do this with the intention of finding the truth, through facts and research.
#28 Not A Fan At All
Every single Marvel movie is awful and the entire franchise is stupid. People make them out to be amazing, but every time I watch one I'm just underwhelmed. I always liked Deadpool, though.I kind of wish that the Avengers movies were more like that. I understand why they can't do that, but I think it would be much better in that style.
#29 About The Left
The left feeds off of lazy intellectualism and gives young people something to be militantly passionate about when their lives are ultimately mind-numbingly safe and unchallenging. I remember after I finished community college, I transferred to a fancy private university. The student body was primarily upper-class white women and the amount of them who had been brainwashed by feminism was troubling.
#30 Who Deserves Healthcare?
Fundamentally you shouldn't be provided healthcare if you intentionally do something to yourself that causes a drain on the system for people who truly need it, rather than going to therapy of some sort. If you intentionally mess your life up, because that's what it is, it is your fault entirely. Small note: this would only apply to legal adults. In the same breath, therapy should be covered by health insurance for the above problems in the case of hereditary addiction.
#31 American Politics
In American politics, neither the Democrats nor the Republicans give two hecks about the American public. Both parties will feed us lies to get our votes. All either party is interested in is gaining or maintaining power in Washington. To do this, they need money. To get money, they cater to the rich, powerful lobbies, and large corporations. The people? We're just an afterthought.
#32 End The Ignorance
Vaccines are necessary and important, and if you’re more afraid of your child having autism than you are afraid of your child dying from a preventable illness, then maybe you shouldn’t be a parent. Also, for the millionth time, vaccines do NOT cause or remotely have any effect on one’s chances of being diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.
#33 You Were Young Too, Once
Dealing with and raising children can be made easier by remembering that you were a half-feral monster from the foulest depths at their age. You won't be any less annoyed, but it might help you keep your temper in check when it comes to correcting their summoning ritual. There's nothing worse than when a five-year-old kid screws up calling the Eldritch horrors from the inky black of oblivion because they get distracted halfway through by We Bare Bears.
#34 What The Heck, Jimmy Carter?
Nuclear power is the best form of clean energy, and not giving it a chance is robbing the future of a clean, reliable, high output source of electricity. Almost no one seems to know that 'waste' nuclear fuel can be reprocessed and fed to breeder reactors so that the total 'waste' is an infinitesimal amount. It’s a dang shame that nuclear reprocessing is banned in the United States...what was Jimmy Carter thinking?
#35 Gift Of Fear
That anyone in the right circumstances can commit horrible acts. It's easy for us to point at an event and denounce the people who participated or let it happened, but it's not easy to realize that those people are not so different from us. Part of the basis of the book Gift of Fear, I think the only exception being those whose brains are physically different. Even then it’s a choice to a degree.
#36 Inmate Rights
Prisons must operate on a system of rehabilitation, not punishment. It's the moral way to do things. It is better to try to rehabilitate 100 inmates—even the very worst—and fail at 90 than to not try at all. People say, "Well, certain people are irredeemable." Firstly, no, they aren't. There's statistical evidence to prove that even the worst criminals can be rehabilitated (can be, not will be).
Secondly, and more importantly, when you start deciding who is and is not worth fixing, you open the system up to abuse. Again, it is better to try with everyone and fail at most, than to not try at all and have some come out the other end okay. This is especially important with regard to the death penalty.
#37 Have A Look
It's more important to know the truth than to be happy. As George Bernard Shaw put it: "The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a tipsy man is happier than a sober one. The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous quality of happiness and by no means a necessity of life." Further, to grasp the truth, you have to be willing to take a glimpse into the darkest recesses of existence. Don't dwell there, but have a look.
#38 The Joy Of Monopoly
Monopoly is a fun game if you play without house rules like "Free parking = Jackpot." The biggest rule that makes the game playable is the one most people miss. If you land on a space and don't buy it, any other player can place a bid of any amount on that space. The other players can then bid, and whoever has the highest bid gets it. Actually following the rules can reduce gameplay down to an hour or two instead a week.
#39 The Kids Deserve The Truth
Teaching kids a sanitized version of history is worse than teaching them nothing at all. And no beloved historical figure who committed atrocities is just a "product of their time." To say so disrespects all the people of the time who fought against injustice and opposed them. Same too for the victims of the atrocities.
#40 A Strongly Held Opinion Indeed
EVERYONE, not just the elderly (but them especially), should be required to retake the driving test every five years or so. Written and actual driving. If you fail, your license would get revoked and you won’t get it back until you can prove you can be a safe driver. When I first got my license, I was so surprised that your vision was the only thing that needed to be periodically checked to keep your license (at least in my state). Don’t just wait for someone to cause an accident to find out they’re a terrible driver.
#41 Appearances Matter
Appearances matter. You don't have to be fit or anything, but you do need to take care of yourself. The way you look, smell, dress. Makes instant huge impacts on those around you long before they have a chance to get to know you. It's fine to be proud if you are a bit chunky, but there is a difference between "little curvy" and "heart problem in wait".
There's also a difference between "skinny" and "borderline disorder". You don't have to make appearances too heavily, but they do need to be taken a little more seriously as attributes to your health and general wellbeing.
#42 Not My Job
It shouldn’t be my job to pay for your waitstaff. I don’t care if you charge more for food, do your jobs and give your employees a fair wage.
#43 The Worst Kind
Hurting helpless creatures is the purest form of evil that will ever exist. I'm totally flabbergasted by how we all make excuses for people who hurt puppies, children, etc. It's so patently obvious to me that this behavior represents the worst of what we are and if I ever bring this up I have to convince people that I'm being totally serious. Hurting a helpless thing is literally the definition of evil but everyone gets all philosophical on me and insists that we consider the context. No. You're evil.
#44 You Never Know
Try not to judge people based on a single interaction. They might secretly be having one of the worst days of their life.
#45 About Left Lanes
Left lanes are not for cruising 10 mph under the limit. Move the heck over.
