Spartan Scroll

by Akina Nishi

Photo courtesy of pixabay.com and naonsdemens.nl

It is sometimes difficult to realize that the ideas in our minds can be subjective, especially when we discover that there are others who think differently.

All conflicts stem from a single concept: opposing opinions. Conflicts in society, such as those over politics, the environment, or even something as simple as fashion, fill our lives. What is right and what is wrong may turn awry as different views are added to our minds.

Feelings can shift very easily, especially with social media platforms readily available at our fingertips, and at a time in our lives when our beliefs are not yet set in stone. For example, if a role model or someone we look up to shares with the world their decision to go vegan, loyal fans may follow suit.

However, there may be some fans that will respond negatively to this person’s decision,such as saying being vegan is useless or unnecessary because they think it makes no difference in the world. Because of this, innocent bystanders who stumble upon this comment can have their views clouded or their feelings hurt. These opinions from twAAAAo differing sides plant the seeds of controversy.

We are prone to believing that we are “right” in what we think, and that these views are reflected in a popular opinion, but in reality, it may not be the case. The feeling of confidence in our opinions is completely normal, since we all have a tendency to surround ourselves with people whose views are similar to ours. It is a challenge when we exit this comfort zone and meet different people with ideas we have never encountered, and negative feelings like anger or fear may start to arise.

During this transition in our lives, where we are still getting accustomed to our surroundings, what others think of us affects the way we view others, and the optimism and confidence we may carry can be dimmed. Instead of spreading negativity online and in real life, we should make sure we do not hurt others when we spread opinions.

To avoid trouble and conflicts, we must be more open-minded to what is going on in the world around us, as we continue to witness the ways people effectively communicate opinions, such as hosting rallies and protests, retelling frustrating rants to friends and sharing impactful personal experiences on social media.

Before conveying our thoughts, we should seek several sides to a problem, which requires patience, an open mind and sensitivity to others. Everyone seems to be in a rush to receive information and get immediate results, which lessens the development of some of these traits.

According to Narayan Janaki Raman, assistant marketing professor at University of Texas, Arlington, “The need for instant gratification is not new, but our expectation of ‘instant’ has become faster, and as a result, our patience is thinner.”

We should thoroughly listen to what others think without scorning them or trying to convert them to what we believe they should be thinking. Not everyone will share the same views, and we must accept this fact and others’ opinions, even if they stir anger or other strong emotions.

Judgments on controversial issues can be made when one takes the time to seek out the truth and the complete picture, while handling the thoughts of others without getting upset. The ability to see subjects with multiple perspectives will prompt more mature responses and opinions.

Digging deeper to find other views of our concerns that do not include our own may change where we stand on both positive and negative issues that have provoked or piqued our interest. When we become enlightened with new aspects of these issues, we gain a more enhanced composure that can help us absorb ideas we have not been exposed to before.