An opinion is a fact...

[Simplysally]

According to M & S's latest advert about pork chops. Not according to me, it's not. I don't mind pork chops and my Dad loathes pork. So two opinions... but they're not facts.

An opinion is just that... an opinion.

Opine please .

Oh I hate it when they do this on the news as well (and DP hates it even more, as he's such a scientist)

The other day it was about switching off streetlights to save energy. "In a survey blah percent of local people felt they were less safe now their streets are in darkness blah de blah".

wtf does it matter what they think? What matters is whether they are actually any less safe and a simple survey of crime records could reveal that. But on the news they're always far bothered about the probably erroneous opinions of the public and probably think we're scared to be told about actual measurements in case it's too complicated

hmm well I suppose it is a fact. it is a fact that you don't mind pork chops. it's a fact that your dad loathes them.

Well, they are facts in once sense . It's a fact that you don't mind pork chops and it's a fact that your dad loathes pork. It's not a fact that pork is lovely or horrible; those are opinions.

I haven't seen the M & S advert. But I agree that an opinion is not a fact.

(slightly different point i realise - but I grabbed my chance to rant, for I am a true pedant)

Cross posted, Thisisyesterday!

I have this problem with work related stuff. approving (or not) reports written by people who don;t understand the difference between reporting a simple objective fact:

"Simplesally said pork chops are horrible". (uncontroversial, simplesally did say this)

and repeating a subjective opinion.

"Pork chops are horrible".

or worse still erroneous extrapolation:

"The pork chops were off..."

At university one of my tutors informed us a propos of nothing that our opinions didn't count against our tutors opinions until we'd achieved the same level as qualifications as them (BA/MA/PhD) or had been critically peer-reviewed. Pretty harsh....

Was it my imagination or did I hear Piers Morgan advertising M&S food the other day?

snowleopard it matters what people think (or more accurately, what they feel) because they vote based on that, rather than on the facts.

It's not JUST pork... it's free range leicestershire pork specially massaged by virgin boys just after the full moon and just before a light shower.

I hate M&S ads. Especially that one where the chocolate pudding looks like a turd is coming out of it.