Opinion vs. Identity: the Tragedy of Modern Rhetoric

Do you remember that time you were having a conversation with someone, and when you disagreed with something you just kept quiet or mildly agreed? Maybe you didn't want to offend the person or start a conflict because it was "their opinion", and you didn't want to mess with it. Perhaps you assumed that any argument you could make contrary to their beliefs would be futile and only result in hurt feelings, so you just kept your mouth shut and awkwardly tried to change the subject.

If you can relate to this situation, it may be because you struggle to distinguish a person's opinion from his or her identity; this is one of the most critical flaws in modern rhetoric. We tend to make the false assumption that an individual's opinion is woven deeply into one's self, so that the two are one and the same. This assumption leads to two roadblocks that stand in the way of effective communication. First, one may choose not to disagree with someone to avoid offending the person. After all, if that individual's opinion is intimately bound to his or her identity, than any contradiction could upset or irritate the person. Second, this belief may lead one to believe that any argument will be utterly useless and ineffective; you can't change who someone is.

However, if we view opinions as ancient rhetors did, we see that they can be changed. Indeed, using the appropriate appeals to change another's opinion is one of the primary goals of rhetoric. Ancient rhetors thought opinions were of great value because they were communal beliefs, but that didn't make them unyielding truths that characterized each individual's personality. Rather, opinions could be swayed through the persuasive techniques of rhetoric.

In order to reestablish effective communication that solves problems and seeks answers in the modern world, society must return to this ancient perspective by learning to distinguish between opinion and identity; only then will people learn to speak out when they disagree.

Touring the College Football Playoff or Sampling Deep Conversations about Life

Passion is what keeps life interesting.  Without it, we would all find ourselves in a cycle of boring routine, constantly working towards some meaningless goal without drive or purpose.  Passion is what makes us get out of bed in the morning and give this thing called 'life' a try.  However, passion need not be strictly bound to our careers or life goals; it can be found in something as simple as an idea.

While I put forth my best effort each day at school in hopes of achieving my dream job, my true passions lay not with my Chemistry homework or my English paper; they are embedded in the things I know I can’t live without.  

So, as I contemplated the potential options for my Passion Blog, two distinct topics came to mind.  The first is a concrete and popular phenomenon that could be shared and discussed collectively among sports fans throughout the country: the College Football Playoff.  If I were to write this blog, I could go in depth each week, providing critical analysis of the weekend’s top games, dramatic upsets, and playoff implications.  I could provide valuable insight to each team’s path to the championship, address my own opinions on the nation’s top contenders, and make predictions for the coming week.  This would without a doubt be an incredibly enjoyable blog, as I would be free to publish commentary on my favorite sport, taking on the esteemed role of a college football analyst.

The second option for my blog is much more abstract and far less conventional, but it has potential to be just as much fun and exceedingly rewarding.  One thing I can honestly say I live for is deep conversations about life; I’m talking about the types of conversations that change your viewpoint on life and blow your mind.  I have shared a mere handful of these conversations with my closest friends, and I would love to put a small portion of my thoughts on paper.  Each week I would offer my insight on a certain concept, such as what really matters in life or inherent goodness in humans.

Of these two contrasting choices, only one will be the topic of my first real blog.  But which will it be?


This image is compliments of John David Mercer.


                                                            
                                                             This image is compliments of Bill Watterson.