WE, of course,
are all free to express an opinion on any
public issue at hand. In fact, this should be encouraged,
since this
will help in ferreting out what is truly helpful to the
general
public.
We just have to
do it as responsibly as possible, which
means that we should study the issue very well first,
avoiding
off-the-cuff comments that can cause unnecessary distress
and acrimony
among the people, and express our views as clearly as
possible and
with charity always.
Let’s always
remember that our freedom of speech and
expression can never do away with the requirements of
charity. Even in
the bitterest of our conflicts, we should always be
charitable, ready
to understand the others, to ask for pardon if we commit
some mistake
and to forgive when others commit them, etc.
We cannot deny
that in matters of opinion we will always
have differences and conflicts. We just have to learn how
to be civil
in arguing our points and in sorting out the differences.
We have to
learn this art, now so relevant and urgent given the
growing
complexity of our times.
What we should
avoid is to fall into extreme biases and
prejudices that would compromise a healthy dialogue.
Matters of
opinion can lend themselves to different views and
positions, all of
them valid and legitimate, with their share of strong and
weak points.
They should not
be argued as if they are dogmas, because
even in dogmas, when some people cannot accept them,
these people will
always be treated with charity. We should avoid
absolutizing something
that only has a relative value.
No one should
claim that he has the last word in any issue
or question. In matters of opinion, no one can claim that
he has all
the good, true and beautiful in his views. One should
always be
open-minded to the views of the others, no matter how
different and
conflicting they are to his. There is always some truth
to what they
say. We can always learn something from them.
And in the
discussion, one should avoid trying to simply
score points and dominate the exchange of views. Rather,
one should be
interested in arriving at what is the most advantageous,
fair and
practical option for everyone. Some kind of consensus has
to be
achieved.
A great deal of
magnanimity and broad-mindedness are
required here. We should take the initiative to
understand the others
with different and even conflicting views, trying to
figure out where
they are coming from. We have to learn to agree to
disagree in an
amicable way on certain issues. It pays to have a lot of
patience, a
sportsman’s attitude, a good sense of humor.
We have to keep
a tight and strong grip on our emotions
and temper, preferring not to say anything or to delay to
say it when
our sentiments are approaching boiling and erupting
point.
Sad to say,
what we are noticing these days in the media
is precisely different from how public opinion should be
ideally
expressed and dealt with. There is so much bias and
prejudice, so much
bashing and rash judgments, so much absolutizing of
things with
relative value, so much self-righteous comments. There
are times when
we get the sensation that we are talking to a wall.
And so we are
reaping our just desserts. There’s a lot of
acrimony and division. Anger and hatred, resentments and
bitterness
are rising like anything. And everyone suffers. The
common good is
hardly addressed. What seem obvious are the moves to
bolster one’s
power, wealth and fame. Brazen pursuits of self-interest
are all over
the place.
We can do a lot
better than this! We have to start
learning the art of public opinion as it should be.
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