To the Editor:
The word for the day is “ultracrepidarian”, from the 19th century. This is defined as a presumptuous critic; one who gives opinions on subjects they know nothing about.
As a longtime resident of Senatobia…I grew up here and returned here in 2004 following a career that allowed me to see life far beyond the county and state boundaries. I believe myself to be well aware of the political lay of the land in Tate County. But my letter takes neither side of a political argument.
While I truly appreciate your editorial leadership and stance regarding Letters to the Editors, I do believe there should be clarification between what “opinion” is and what “being opinionated” means. Let’s start with this…Opinion cannot be formed without knowledge. FACTS are crucial to any argument in which one expresses an opinion. According to Dictionary.com “An opinion is a belief or judgement that falls short of conviction, certainty or positive knowledge”.
Having a strong conviction about something also means one is open to challenge and critique AND can change your mind when faced with facts and evidence to the contrary.
However, being opinionated follows a different definition altogether. Opinionated calls for prejudgment before all the facts and circumstances are known. Our United States has strong laws against prejudgment, therefore our courts rely on facts and evidence. Being opinionated leads to conceit, dogma, and arrogance.
Now! Regarding a previous letter writer, whom you defended as “opinion” and proper to print, I say the gentleman is Opinionated based upon my previous definitions. He does not use the phrase “in my opinion” or anything similar. He puts forth his own ideas without proof, evidence, facts, sources nor knowledge. It reads as though he makes things up as he goes in a stream of consciousness style of writing. A style that flows from obscure sections of the brain. Additionally, letters hash the same subjects and ideas each time he is printed.
If he truly wants to inform and educate, do so with accepted forms of such. We, as a people, want factual information, not self-righteous dogma with no basis in reality. He has convinced himself he is right but offers no proof of such.
Therefore, that writer falls squarely into the Opinionated category.
Sincerely,
Sharon Self
Senatobia, Mississippi
