Word of the Week #292:

Foolhardy

Are all opinions made equal?

In our “democratic” society, we are continually hammered down with the notion that every person, every faction, every school of thought should have a place on the table.

But is that really the best solution? Should every opinion offered be treated as equal?

This one time, I don’t have an answer.

History has shown us strong examples of helpful ideas and opinions—which would have changed human civilisation for the better—being quashed because they did not conform with the accepted wisdom of the time.

On the other hand, even today, we continue to see countless deniers of basic logic and fact, may they present themselves as anti-vaxxers or flat-earthers or religious fundamentalists.

Is it presumptuous to believe we are right and people who disagree with us are wrong? 

I mean, I will accept that it would be arrogant to assume that we are incapable of being wrong. But at the same time, it is not wrong to hold strong to what we do know.

At the end of the day, to quote one of my favourite fictional characters:

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