there is an evolution of voice and opinion that occurs as a person develops. opinions may go from inexpressible to expressing with caution to adding the disclaimer of “this is just my opinion” to some depth of belief and conviction that there is some absolute truth to the emerging voice or opinion. there maybe some theory of opinion development, much like theories of moral development. many young people express a reluctance to have an opinion, “whatever” is said frequently because committing to one aspect may seem too threatening. there may be a desire to fit in, or to not ruffle any feathers. then there is a commitment to an idea, perhaps an owning of “this is how i feel.” however putting that out there is seen as almost disrespectful. there is a generosity of spirit that seems to come into play here, where one says everyone is entitled to their opinions, just because i have one doesn’t mean i’m right. “live and let live” is the motto for this stage. often there is also a degree of pride that goes along with having this accepting and tolerant attitude.
however from people i admire, who are wiser and more seasoned in life, i have heard that letting people “just be the way they are” is not that admirable. my mentor strongly believes in helping evolve people, believing that there are absolute truths. this is different from liking blue or liking red, it is more about issues like whether corporal punishment for children is okay, whether healthcare should be universal or not… these are opinions that have implications on people and their lives, and the future of human beings. the idea is that holding a neutral “i don’t care what you do” is not useful, and can even be harmful. on a larger scale, this is what can be attributed to the reason why we have “a silent majority” who can but do not fight for social justice or values. a professor of mine said “without making judgments on what I believe to be anti-justice, I would be on a slippery slope into moral relativism and apathy.”
below is a wonderful TED Talk about the dangers of silence, the dangers of not having and not expressing opinions.
the paradox of being 