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Opinion = Attack

solohiker

By solohiker
in General geocaching topics

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dampeoples

dampeoples

Posted
Posted

An opinion can be an attack if the opinionated one takes some sort of extremist view.

"Guns are bad, and all people who carry them are stupid, devil-worshiping morons"

That's an attack, to people who carry.

 

A legitimate debate can develop if all people agree. Let's use abortion. Some people are intolerant - like the guy who shot the abortion doctor. (OK, intolerant was a bad choice of words)

Others can agree with abortion, even as a method of birth control.

Others agree with it in a rape case, etc, etc.

 

Just examples, not opinions.

 

Check my scandalous stories, site, and my fishing skills

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briansnat

+briansnat

Posted
Posted

Re, your first question, no (but I'm sure you already know the answer). Re your second, you're correct, but what does this have to do with the price of beer in Peoria?

 

"You can't make a man by standing a sheep on his hind legs. But by standing a flock of sheep in that position, you can make a crowd of men" - Max Beerbohm

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Greenback

+Greenback

Posted
Posted

There are probably quite a few variations on what is an opinion verses an attack. One that comes to mind is... Opinions are an attack when they are spoken by the minority about the majority. Another... Opinions are an attack when they are spoken about whomever holds the power. Are we talking about an opinion or an attack? Is there a specific example or would it cause this thread to be locked?

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New England n00b

+New England n00b

Posted
Posted

quote:
Opinions are an attack when they are spoken by the minority about the majority

 

Actually, my experiance, is that the inverse is equally as true.

 

All offense-taking is at the receivers end. I could say the sky is a pretty shade of blue and someone could take offense cuz they like the color of a sunset sky better. (I've known people like this).

 

I've also known people you could walk up to and tell them they were <insert worse possible insult here> and they aren't fazed because they are confident in who they are and are not worried about what someone else thinks about them.

 

I guess I'm somewhere in the middle...

 

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16x16_smiley-mad.gif Don't hurt me. I'm new here.

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Greenback

+Greenback

Posted
Posted

quote:
All offense-taking is at the receivers end. I could say the sky is a pretty shade of blue and someone could take offense cuz they like the color of a sunset sky better. (I've _known_ people like this.)

 

But is the attack judged by the person being attacked or by some outside entity? On this forum by both for sure. If a written attack is launched and the receiver considers it a complement how can anyone looking in know that it wasn't really an attack?

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Keystone

Keystone

Posted
Posted

Discussing the difference between "opinion" and "attack" in abstract terms is an appropriate subject, albeit a bit removed from discussing geocaching. Please try and keep the discussion centered on the abstract question rather than trying to prove what constitutes an attack on a person through the use of specific examples.

 

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smile.gif Signal says, "Drink the Kool-Aid!" smile.gif

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Snoogans

+Snoogans

Posted
Posted

quote:
Originally posted by Keystone Approver:

Discussing the difference between "opinion" and "attack" in abstract terms is an appropriate subject, albeit a bit removed from discussing geocaching. Please try and keep the discussion centered on the abstract question rather than trying to prove what constitutes an attack on a person through the use of specific examples.

 

This whole thread is a Chinese fire drill. tongue.gif

 

Snicon_razz.gificon_razz.gifgans

texasgeocaching_sm.gif Sacred cows make the best hamburger....Mark Twain.

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Divine

+Divine

Posted
Posted

quote:
Originally posted by Snoogans:

quote:
Originally posted by Snoogans:

This whole thread is a Chinese fire drill. tongue.gif

THAT was an observation, not an opinion or an attack. Was I OT? tongue.gif (OK very un PC too. Asian-American fire drill??)

Umm, are the Chinese American? On the other hand, are Asian-Americans all Chinese?bad_boy_a.gif

 

- I just got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory. -

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Zaphod Beeblebrox

Zaphod Beeblebrox

Posted
Posted

quote:
Originally posted by Snoogans:

 

This whole thread is a Chinese fire drill. tongue.gif

 

quote:
Originally posted by Snoogans:

 

THAT was an observation, not an opinion or an attack. Was I OT? tongue.gif

 

Well, considering the fact that the only demographic group it is PC to make fun of is middle-aged white men, I suppose you should have mentioned Keystone Cops instead of Chinese heros.

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RJFerret

+RJFerret

Posted
Posted

quote:
Originally posted by solohiker:

Is expressing an opinion the same thing as an attack?

 

No. It comes down to the manner of expression.

 

If I say, ''I disagree with that statement,'' it's fine. If I say, ''You're statement is X,'' you'll take it personally.

 

Since this is a public forum, directing posts to a particular individual is not only inappropriate for the audience, but likely to be taken personally by that person. They are being 'badmouthed' in public after all!

 

quote:

How can legitimate debate develop if everyone agrees?

 

Legitimate debate can't take place via personal attacks either. They just obscure the issue.

 

(Hey, it just occurred to me this is the same advice they give married couples!)

 

Heh,

 

Randy

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The Irish Pirates

+The Irish Pirates

Posted
Posted

Since everyone is hot and bothered with the difference between opinion vs attack, a couple of definitions of the two;

 

Opinion: A belief or conclusion held with confidence but not substantiated by positive knowledge or proof

 

Attack: To set upon with violent force.

To criticize strongly or in a hostile manner.

 

If the receiver choses to take offense to an opinion there isn't much to be done.

 

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OuchieJumbug

+OuchieJumbug

Posted
Posted

In my opinion (heh) the question "When is an opinion an attack?" is something like asking "When is a dog a bite?" The question itself doesn't really make sense, as the things it's comparing aren't really comparable. Opinions are just opinions - We're all entitled to them, and no opinion is an attack. An attack comes in the way the opinion is expressed. I may hold the opinion "XXX is a raving idiot," for example. I can express that opinion with an attack, e.g. "XXX, you and every other (INSERT RACE HERE) is a complete waste of skin and should be left in the desert to die." I could also express it nicely, e.g. "XXX, I think you're off base here, because..."

 

In this case, how can we judge whether the original poster had used an attack to express said opinion, when we only have one side of the story? In my experience, a lot of people who attack others claim they were "just expressing an opinion" when called on it. (NOTE: I am NOT saying that's true in this case, just that we can't tell without seeing what was written.) My point (hardly original) is that it's easy to leap to the conclusion that a moderator is just censoring an opinion he or she dislikes, when the real issue is how that opinion is expressed. Even the most inflammatory opinions can be expressed in a civil manner, although it may be hard to then keep everyone in the ensuing discussion civil.

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Renegade Knight

+Renegade Knight

Posted
Posted

quote:
Originally posted by Snoogans:

...Asian-American fire drill??...

 

I've learned that some of these quotes have no replacment without using a lot more words. It's easier just to keep using them for what they mean rather than what some popele would like to tell you they mean because they didn't look it up in the dictionary and instead looked it up in the PC Book of Bannings.

 

Reading some of the other comments in this thread about opinion (if I'm right does it stop being an opinion?) and attackes actually taught me something.

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opey one

+opey one

Posted
Posted

quote:
Originally posted by Titus2_13:

Opinions that are true cease to be opinions. In my opinion. icon_rolleyes.gif What amazes me is how easy it is to get someones goat....Or is that an attack on another forum poster? Or is that just my opinion? And BTW - I don't want your goat!

 

___________________________________

All weal drive, the only way to go!

 

No offense taken, ol buddy. Yeah, I agree with your statement. I find it easier to have big shoulders and to pick on the ones with sticks. It's kinda rough water at the present time, as I'm not sure what the outcome will be.

 

I'll hang tough and see what will happen next.

 

48511_5100.JPG

 

Yup. That's MY goat!

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SLCDave

SLCDave

Posted
Posted

quote:
Nothing like a **** eating grin to give away your real intent. How to you type that into a forum post?

 

Type SIG..... Then again, that might incite another round of flaming on the pro/anti-gun issue. icon_rolleyes.gif

 

"I'm 35 Years old, I am divorced, and I live in van down by the river!" - Matt Foley

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