Opinionated vs. Having an Opinion

What’s the difference, really? I was talking about this the other day with a friend of mine … ok, so we were drinking … yes, again … but it was a good conversation from what I recall. I think we determined that being opinionated is characterized by thinking that what you think is superior to what others think, whereas having an opinion simply implies that you think, that you know other people think differently, but you don’t presuppose superiority of any particular thought.  And Bob’s your uncle.

By this definition, simply having an opinion is not a bad thing. The phrase “he has an opinion on everything” would imply only that someone thinks a lot. Likewise, It probably would mean that they subsequently listen a lot, otherwise, they’d be perceived as opinionated.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of people I know do not seem to make this distinction, or understand the need to. Somehow, opinions in general seem to have gotten a bad reputation and this stifles the sharing of opinions, which, at their core, are thoughts! For the love of Smart People everywhere: share what you think — particularly if it’s original. Just be certain to listen to the thoughts / opinions of others and take the time to understand how they differ from yours. You might be surprised by the plot twists that develop, and how your own thoughts might evolve. Trust me: It’s better than prime time TV.

Of course, this is just my opinion.