"Strong opinions, loosely held," is held up in various circles as admirable. I'm starting to wonder. It beats "Loose opinions, strongly held," for sure, but what about just having fewer opinions that need to be held in the first place?
It seems like opinions--and, in particular, the need to express them, or at least hold them as important--fall into the broader category of identity formation. Opinions help us paint the picture of who we are, they position us within our tribe and position our tribe within the broader society. If we just have loose opinions, loosely held, are we just wishy-washy? Do we "not stand for anything"? Or are we just pacifists in a world obsessed with war?
I'm reminded of the scene so well depicted in Jesus Christ Superstar:
It seems like opinions--and, in particular, the need to express them, or at least hold them as important--fall into the broader category of identity formation. Opinions help us paint the picture of who we are, they position us within our tribe and position our tribe within the broader society. If we just have loose opinions, loosely held, are we just wishy-washy? Do we "not stand for anything"? Or are we just pacifists in a world obsessed with war?
I'm reminded of the scene so well depicted in Jesus Christ Superstar:
"We all know that you are news--but are you king? King of the Jews?"
"That's what you say."
"What do you mean by that? That is not an answer."
Sometimes I wonder if disinformation isn't the greatest sin of the modern web, but rather simply the way it enables us to share our opinions within communities in which we are not really connected. We're all street-corner preachers, we all wear our own version of Westboro sandwich boards. We're all desperate to figure out how to place ourselves within the contexts in which we find ourselves...or perish.
But, well, that's just, like, my opinion, man.
This need feels most assertive in settings where my identity doesn't feel as concrete. Like if I'm at a new bar and don't know anyone one of my go-to strategies has been just doing a hot-take.
In settings where I'm happy with my identity or have no desire to morph it, i actually don't feel the need to express any opinion at all. Neither in what I say or how I move or even how I dress. I think this is the most blissful way to be in public, but sometimes I find myself in the former.
I notice the writing I find best also doesn't focus on the writers' opinions. One might argue, well then how will they write anything? Isn't their writing all their opinion?
Our writing is our opinion, but there can be different approaches in presentation. One extreme where the opinion itself is highlighted and put front stage. The other where the opinion simply serves as the sensory-experiential organ necessary to have obsevations and where that observation is the focus.
Former makes a big show about the opinion and puts up walls against people who don't have that opinion. Whereas the latter seems to seem relatable cross cultures/contexts.
Good example of former or most political writers. Good example of latter are... hmm that's hard to find. I find it difficult to even posit someone in the latter camp because it's such a high mark. But I think the novelist Haruki Murakami might be one.
No opinion means you just don't care to occupy your thoughts long enough to form one. You don't even need to reach a belief, let alone share it.
> This need feels most assertive in settings where my identity doesn't feel as concrete. Like if I'm at a new bar and don't know anyone one of my go-to strategies has been just doing a hot-take.
> In settings where I'm happy with my identity or have no desire to morph it, i actually don't feel the need to express any opinion at all.
Yes! This is where I was headed with:
> communities in which we are not really connected