Given the current situation, I would like to address a topical issue: opinion formation. The debate surrounding the wave of refugees is a striking example of how opinions clash. How unreflectively pros and cons, black and white, right and wrong are trumpeted to the world. I do not wish to intervene in the social debate in terms of content, but rather to shed light on the process of opinion formation.
Freedom of expression is Obligation a right and Obligation . The right to freely express one's opinion and the obligation to have thought deeply about it beforehand. Because everyone knows: think first, then speak. Expressing one's opinions is in vogue. With thumbs up and thumbs down, we rate what we like and don't like on the worldwide web. Followers and clicks are collected, blogs are written and commented on. Experts entertain us with their opinions on evening talk shows.
Before exchanging opinions, there is a much more important question to consider. Namely, what happens before I form my own opinion? Have I gathered sufficient information and examined the facts from multiple perspectives? Have I taken the time to consider where the different perspectives might lead in the future? Have I only touched on something mentally or have I thought it through more deeply? Have I first asked questions to better understand before giving answers? What were my motives in considering and evaluating the situation? Am I just looking for confirmation of my existing horizons? Do I want to be right or serve a greater cause?
"That's my opinion," I hear again and again. But it should really be: "I'm parroting that because I think it will go down well." It would only be a genuine opinion of my own if it sprang from within me after a period of reflection. Parroting can best be described by Vera Birkenbihl's neologism "Anderung": the opinion of others.
But deep thinking is not that easy. Because thinking is such a strenuous process, very few people engage in it.
So it is not just about the right to freedom of expression, but also about the duty to engage in the arduous process of forming an opinion! Anyone who thinks that freedom of expression is an unrestricted right is mistaken. And this does not just refer to the boundaries where the personal rights of others begin. The freedom to express one's opinion entails further fundamental obligations.
- First, think carefully about what you say: not every spontaneous idea is really helpful at that moment. If you blurt things out too often, you will eventually be perceived as a show-off. Later on, people will dismiss even your good ideas without giving them any credit. Remember: verbal incontinence is not considered clever by intelligent listeners!
- Choose the place and time carefully. If you blurt out your opinion at an inappropriate time, for example, while others are in the middle of a creative or productive process, no one will listen to you. You will be perceived as a troublemaker.
- Get ready when the light is red, take a breath when it's yellow, and only speak when the light is green.
- Don't just always be against everything. Because a lateral thinker who simply always takes the opposite view is basically more of a troublemaker. That is exactly the kind of misunderstood consistency that will earn you condemnation instead of respect. You will be seen as a spoilsport in the eyes of others.
- Don't be a yes-man. Yes-men keep their opinions to themselves. Their motto is "Don't give the boss any reason to see me in a negative light." They live in the shadows and feed off the little light that others shine on them. They are afraid of the responsibility that comes with having their own opinion. They remain silent when they should speak and speak when they should remain silent.
- Don't be an underground fighter. Underground fighters meet with other destructive people and love the darkness. They intrigue and infiltrate. Their desire for influence is greater than their sense of responsibility. A dangerous combination! They put their heads together and hatch rotten eggs. And when a point of view is actually required, they can't rise above mediocrity.
- Be a free thinker! Free thinkers have the choice to recognize and acknowledge what is helpful in the opinions of others. They can also offer constructive criticism and bring their own thinking potential to bear powerfully in every exchange of ideas. Free thinking is not primarily an intellectual achievement, but one of character. Free thinkers do not align their banners with the wind or against it. They are free to choose their response to the wind.
Note: Many people want to talk, but only a few have something to say! Those who have dealt with issues in depth are few and far between. That is also the reason why the saying goes that good advice is hard to come by. It would be nice if some people would take the advice of cabaret artist Dieter Nuhr to heart: "In a democracy, you are allowed to have an opinion, but you don't have to. If you have no idea, just shut up."
