Opinion vs Fact
Hello, today I’d like to discuss the social and philosophical dilemma of what is a fact and what is an opinion.
People often perceive opinions with the weight of facts, as if they were the same as a kilogram of steel and a kilogram of feathers. But they aren’t.
The difference concretely between opinion and fact is truth, objective truth. Socially; it depends on whether you begin a sentence with thought or feeling, an opinion is felt, a fact is known, a fact simply is, without a belief, it truly just is. A sentence regarding a fact doesn’t open with how you feel. It doesn’t have an emotional bias. Facts are told, opinions are felt.
An example of these? If you begin a sentence with “I think” or “I feel" you are only describing an opinion piece as the language used immediately verifies it’s something you *feel* originating from your mind, rather than it existing independently to what you believe or think.
A fact exists with or without you. It exists independent to you and does not need to be verified by you. An example would be that Lemons are a bright yellow colour with a sour taste. They are, this is a fact. You don’t need to feel or think that they are, they simply are. What you think on the matter culturally, socially or philosophically is redundant, the Lemon remains the same.
Yet we have encountered opinions from people (mainly on Twitter and Tumblr) that treat their words as if they are factual in nature.
Strong words such as; “Trump is a literal Nazi" backed up with absolutely no evidence to prove he supports, promotes or condones Fascist and/or White Supremacist behavior. Yet this opinion, is treated as fact by a lot of its believers.
Therein lies the issue; people believe in it. It doesn’t exist independent to their thoughts, it doesn’t roam outside their mind in the environment, it exists solely in the confines of their mind. It is dependent on thought, it exists only because you thought of it, rather than it existing independent to you.
Making it; an opinion — Not a fact.
But here’s the real brain-tickler coming into action, after all you’ve read, are my words opinion or fact?
