Facts And Opinions

There is a difference between facts and opinions. Opinions are how you perceive the world around you. Facts are verifiable and objective, with documentation, statistics and references. Some people seem to mix up the two, claiming opinion as fact and vice versa. This bugs me to no end, so here are some ways to tell if you are dealing with a fact or an opinion (online, at least).



1. Where are their sources? I'll see this one a lot: someone will enter a conversation and post a wall of text that claims to be 100% full proof fact, and not cite any sources. Now, I'm not talking about friendly chat between friends, I mean one those heated debates. I've even seen people's claims refuted by others (who used sources) and they still said their facts were correct. If you want to state that something is your opinion in a debate, that's fine with me, but do not try to pass it off as fact.


2. Their sources are from where?! Having reliable sources is just as important (if not more so) than actually having any sources. Sure, they could say, "Look, sources", but if those sources are from stinkybuttholes.net™ (as a note, this wasn't an actual site when I typed this post. If that has changed since then, my sincerest apologies) then they probably aren't legit. What would be a legit source? Hard to say, but something unbiased like a scientific study from a renowned institute or some news sources (I know this one can be tricky, as there are a few news organizations that either try to appeal to an audience on the left/right or sensationalize every story. Perhaps BBC, Reuters, or the AP? Maybe it's just easier to say avoid Fox News, MSNBC, The Blaze, and Bill Maher.)


3. Google is your friend. If someone makes a claim that you are unsure about, do an internet search. It's the fast, dirty way to verify that are, indeed, full of shit. Seriously though, don't take what someone says at face value, especially if they claim they're telling you the incontrovertible truth.



I'm not bashing opinions, I just think there is a time and a place for them. We use them to express how we feel on certain issues or how we see everything. We need opinions just as much as we need facts. Just remember that the two are not interchangeable, but they both serve a purpose: to better understand ourselves and the world we live in.

But hey, that's just my opinion.

Till Next Time, Space Monkeys!