Beyond Feelings

CHAPTER 5
How Good Are
Your Opinions?
To me truth is precious. . . . I should rather be right and stand alone than
to run with the multitude and be wrong. . . . The holding of the views
herein set forth has already won for me the scorn and contempt and
ridicule of some of my fellow men. I am looked upon as being odd,
strange, peculiar. . . . But truth is truth and though all the world reject
it and turn against me, I will cling to truth still. 1
Stirring words, those. You can envision their author bravely facing legions
of reactionaries intent on imposing their narrow dogmas on him. In the
background you can almost hear a chorus singing “Stout-Hearted Men.”
Stand tall, brave hero. Never give in!
But wait a minute. Just who is the author? And what exactly is the
opinion he is valiantly defending? His name is Charles Silvester de Fort.
The quotation is from a booklet he wrote in 1931. And the opinion is—are
you ready for this?—that the earth is flat.
People have always taken their opinions seriously, but today many
people embrace their opinions with extraordinary passion. “I have a
right to my opinion” and “Everyone’s entitled to his or her opinion” are
common expressions. Question another person’s opinion and you’re
likely to hear, “Well, that’s my OPINION.” The unspoken message is “Case
closed.”
Is that a reasonable view? Is it inappropriate to challenge the opinions
of others? The answer depends on the kind of issue involved. If it is a matter
of taste, then the standard is the undemanding one of personal preference. If
Agnes finds Reginald handsome and Sally disagrees, there’s really no basis
for a meaningful dispute. Ditto if Ralph drools over an orange Camaro
with brass wire hubcaps and purple upholstery and Carla is repulsed by
it. Some people put catsup on hot dogs, while others prefer mustard or relish,
and perhaps at this very moment someone, somewhere, is slathering a
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