What is the proper way to express opinion?

[ericdad]

In a public forum such as this, it's often that a healthy discussion quickly turns into sour, nasty and too personal event. (I think most of us can agree this to be a fact...rather than my personal opinion)

In my opinion, I think one of the reasons for this is because we sometimes fails to express an opinion as an opinion but rather make it sounds like a fact.

We all can agree and respect that everyone can have differing opinions. But often, while going through the posts, we are faced with a post that sounds too strong to be just an opinion. When someone say "XXX is good" or "XXX is bad", it implies that it is a fact and therefore, it must be wrong to think otherwise. You don't like something does not make that something bad.

We all come from different backgrounds with different perspectives and different needs. Certainly there cannot be one thing that can suit everyone's need or taste.

For example, many on this forum (or other M5 related forums) may have noticed the heated debates about the Active Sound feature. Is it good or is it bad? It is all up to each of us. Some says it is a deal breaker and it is a bad thing. Well, would it not reduce the chance of arguement if he or she simply state they don't like it because .........in their opinion? I think it will still get the debate going but, if we all can stay in course, there will be less chance of a discussion turns too personal. I may not like strawberry flavoured icecream and I may have a perfect reason for not liking it. Does it mean that I can expect others to feel the same way and hate it? Does it mean that Strawberry icecream is bad? To some of us, Active Sound is not only no problem, it could even enhance their driving experience. Just because someone find it exciting, it does not make them wrong. Or vice versa. We can all agree, hopefully, that things such as this all depends on each of our taste and preference and not try to make a conclusion one way or the other.

Can you name one thing that virtually everyone in the whole world would agree on? If we talk about the most awesome Ferrari to date, there will be someone somewhere that would think it is not awesome. Or even if you bring the most hated serial killer to the topic, there will be someone who would not agree this murderer as a monster. We all just have to accept that we will never be able to agree on anything but we can repect that each of us are entitled have different opinion. It just gets hard sometimes when we face someone expressing their opinion as if their opinion supersedes ours.

Something can be discussed as good/bad or right/wrong. For example, murdeing someone is bad and wrong. While even this can just be an opinion and can be challenged, most of us will agree this as a fact. Also, we can agree as a fact that low fuel economy/efficency is bad...at least for the consumers. Oil companies, share holders will not agree this to be a fact...in their heart though.

Many have said that SMG technology is bad & Manual gear is good. To me, SMG was like god sent gift. As I have never learnt to drive manual geared cars, SMG gearbox allowed me to purchase M5 and drive everywhere. While I could have learned to drive manual, I simply did not want to. I would not like to consider myself WRONG because some (or many) Manual drivers think manual gear is RIGHT. So, I had trouble whenever I read the posts that state as if SMG is wrong and Manual is right.

If we are all given a chance to produce a car that we deem perfect in our own opinion, how many of them would you think would turn out exactly same? If none (or verry few) turn out to be same, is that mean some of us are wrong?

[///M5Canuck]

It really is less about not agreeing with an opinion and more about not respecting an unfounded opinion. You mentioned active sound, just try it, then give your opinion that it is cool, or no good. I have not seen anyone on here say anything but try it then tell us what you think. I would like to tell you liver and onions sounds terrible; but I have never tried it, so I have no opinion on something I haven't tried.

[phish_100]

I don't think it's about how someone writes something, but more how you react when you read them. When you read something, You have a choice to take offence or instead to show empathic understanding for that persons point of view. If someone is pushing their view hard, it's because the literally can't face the fact that it might not be true - it is part of their sense of self. I think I'll stop before I get too spiritual about this :-)

[mdh]

Originally Posted by ///M5Canuck

It really is less about not agreeing with an opinion and more about not respecting an unfounded opinion. You mentioned active sound, just try it, then give your opinion that it is cool, or no good. I have not seen anyone on here say anything but try it then tell us what you think. I would like to tell you liver and onions sounds terrible; but I have never tried it, so I have no opinion on something I haven't tried.

OK, so according to your logic, nobody in the US should have an opinion on the new M5 at all. Nobody should have an opinion about a war unless they've been in one, etc... Most of the things we have opinions about, we haven't directly experienced. Think about it.

Also it's interesting that the negative opinions need to have experience, but the positive ones don't.

My view is that active discussion is good, as long as people talk about the issues and not each other. As long as this rule is followed, and people are reasonable in their arguments, I'm ok with whatever people want to say about my car, their car, or whatever they have an opinion on - it makes for a more interesting Board.

[sparkyg]