'its just my opinion'

[Cocklodger]

May well get a flaming for this but I feel that this is used to absolve responsibility in what people say.
Particularly with inflammatory statements. For example
''I think JSA claimants are lazy, just my opinion'
''I think refugees don't NEED to be here and should be refused entry. They have PHONES! just my opinion...''
Its also used with racist/Britain first esque posts on Facebook for example.
If you attempt to debate or argue their point of view, they use it as a get out clause, 'well I SAID its only my opinion'' well yes I'm well aware that you're not directly responsible for the DWP, Immigration department etc etc but surely you should take a bit of responsibility for what you think or believe?
AIBU to think people hide behind this statement far too often and really bloody shouldn't??

[bearofnothingness]

god it's only a matter of time until mn has the passive like and dislike button

instead of y are or not bu

[Dobinette]

I do find constantly hearing everyone's opinion on everything rather exhausting, and riling, which is why I'm not on FB.

In the good ol' days of course we all just shouted at the telly or ranted at family members (Dad!) and left it at that.

I do wonder sometimes if the people spewing vile comments about others would actually say it to their face. Sadly, as is the apparent need of everyone to be heard I think they probably would!

(Btw, I do see the irony in me posting my opinion about other people's opinions, thank you!)

[5moreminutes]

YANBU - often people who are vocal about how free speech and democracy mean they have the right to share their opinion seem incapable of coping with the fact the same principles mean people with the opposite opinion can share theirs too - especially if the people with the opposite opinion are rude enough to back their opinion up with evidence and / or logic/ reasoning...

[bearofnothingness]

god try they guardian opinions

[DotForShort]

YANBU.

You do hear 'well, it's my opinion, don't try and silence me' a lot. It's often an excuse for bigotry

Yes, I see this a lot. When people say, "It's just my opinion," what they often mean is "How dare you challenge me?" And yes, it very often is used to justify prejudice or bigotry. Everyone's right to an opinion should be taken as a given in any debate. It's the starting point of discussion. But I think most people who resort to this sort of statement genuinely believe that they are then absolved of the responsibility of supporting their opinion. Rarely do they let facts get in the way of a good opinion.

[BeyondLovesSweetDee]

Can I add "blah blah blah blah blah. Sorry if that's offensive to anyone"

Bullshit, you are not sorry.

I've seen mnhq let these stand with "they said sorry"...

[Sandsnake]

YES, YES, YES! YANBU at all. I've never understood how some people seem to think that 'it's my opinion' is a get out to any form of reasoned challenge or debate. It's as if they think their 'opinion' is somehow something sacrosanct, never to be challenged.

[CodyKing]

Interesting question

DC at high school are taught to have an opinion - which they think they are entitled to have in all subjects - not seeing the bigger picture/consequence of those opinions.

I am always amazed at some of the strong opinions on some debates - however they should stand up and be counted and not follow like sheep?

If we didn't challenge opinion (look at gay rights) then nothing would change.

Added to that different people have different experience of different things - very few immigrants verses a whole village over a few weeks appearing - give colour to your experience -

They stand up and say hand on - this needs changing -

[YorkieDorkie]

It amuses and deeply saddens me when people confuse their "right to an opinion" with free speech!

"I can call all Muslims terrorists because I've got a right to an opinion."

Yes, however we have the right to not hear your hate speech.

[YorkieDorkie]

One I saw recently on Facebook by the way .

[SpecialAgentFreyPie]

Just my opinion is even worse than No offence, but...

I even get paranoid using IMO sometimes because of people like this!

[OoerBlah]

As the saying goes: opinions are like arseholes; everybody's got one.

And the point of arseholes is to expel shit. I suppose some arseholes expel less smelly shit than others depending on what's been through the digestive system but hey, most of it is going to stink.

[buckingfrolicks]

the fact is, in my opinion, some people's opinions are simply not worth listening to, being ill-informed, ill thought through, or taken wholesale from someone else.

[buckingfrolicks]

I tend to respond with something like "I could n't give a monkey's fuck if it's your opinion or the queen's opinion, it's still utter bilge" or similar.

But i'm grumpy today

[Bearfrills]

The flip side of it is when you challenge a deliberately inflammatory statement or you respond to rhetoric with actual facts, you then get told (usually in a huffy tone) "well, that's YOUR opinion..."

[PinkyofPie]

YANBU. People usually say horrific things, lately I've seen about DV and rape victims, and say "that's just my opinion and then when they get called on for their bike comments it's "God can I not have an opinion?!?!!!?!l"

[PinkyofPie]

Never a bad time to post this

[PollyBanana]

Opinions are like arseholes. Everyone has one. Some smell worse than others