That article is entitled “You Are Never Entitled to Your Opinion” and says:
If you ever feel tempted to resist an argument or conclusion by
saying “everyone is entitled to their opinion,” stop! This is
as clear a bias indicator as they come.
I don’t think Robin really means that people aren’t entitled to their opinions. I think what he really means is people aren’t allowed to say “I’m entitled to my opinion”—that is, to use that phrase as a defense.
There’s a big difference. When people use that defense they don’t really mean “I’m entitled to have an opinion”, but instead “I’m entitled to express my opinion without having it criticised”.
In other words “I’m entitled to my opinion” is really a code for “all opinions are equally valid and thus can’t be criticised”.
That said, I do think it is valid to say “I am entitled to an opinion” in situations where your right to expression is being attacked.
I’m not saying you always do have a right to freely and fully express yourself. But in situations when you do have some measure of this, it can be unfairly stomped on.
For example, you might be in a business meeting where you should be able to have input on a matter but one person keeps cutting you off.
Or say you’re with friends and you’re outlining your view on some topic and, though you’re able to get your view out there, someone else always responds with personal attacks.
Sometimes people are just trying to shut you down.
For example, you might be in a business meeting where you should be able to have input on a matter but one person keeps cutting you off.
Or say you’re with friends and you’re outlining your view on some topic and, though you’re able to get your view out there, someone else always responds with personal attacks.
I don’t see how “I’m entitled to my opinion” is a particularly optimal or meaningful response to these situations. What about “it’s unfair not to give me a chance to express my position” in the former situation, and “concluding I’m an asshole because I’m pro-X isn’t justified” in the latter?
Right, “opinion” is so overloaded with meaning that in order to determine if the use of “I’m entitle to my opinion” or “You are not entitled to your opinion” is virtuous, one should taboo “opinion”, and probably “entitled” as well, and express the thought in way that is specific to the situation, such as in your examples. And of course, having gone through the mental exercise of validating that what you say makes sense, you should give everyone else the benifet of this thought process and actually communicate the alternate form, so they also can tell if it is virtuous.
That article is entitled “You Are Never Entitled to Your Opinion” and says:
I don’t think Robin really means that people aren’t entitled to their opinions. I think what he really means is people aren’t allowed to say “I’m entitled to my opinion”—that is, to use that phrase as a defense.
There’s a big difference. When people use that defense they don’t really mean “I’m entitled to have an opinion”, but instead “I’m entitled to express my opinion without having it criticised”.
In other words “I’m entitled to my opinion” is really a code for “all opinions are equally valid and thus can’t be criticised”.
That said, I do think it is valid to say “I am entitled to an opinion” in situations where your right to expression is being attacked.
I’m not saying you always do have a right to freely and fully express yourself. But in situations when you do have some measure of this, it can be unfairly stomped on.
For example, you might be in a business meeting where you should be able to have input on a matter but one person keeps cutting you off.
Or say you’re with friends and you’re outlining your view on some topic and, though you’re able to get your view out there, someone else always responds with personal attacks.
Sometimes people are just trying to shut you down.
I don’t see how “I’m entitled to my opinion” is a particularly optimal or meaningful response to these situations. What about “it’s unfair not to give me a chance to express my position” in the former situation, and “concluding I’m an asshole because I’m pro-X isn’t justified” in the latter?
Right, “opinion” is so overloaded with meaning that in order to determine if the use of “I’m entitle to my opinion” or “You are not entitled to your opinion” is virtuous, one should taboo “opinion”, and probably “entitled” as well, and express the thought in way that is specific to the situation, such as in your examples. And of course, having gone through the mental exercise of validating that what you say makes sense, you should give everyone else the benifet of this thought process and actually communicate the alternate form, so they also can tell if it is virtuous.