Opinion My Final Opinion By FREDERIK L. SCHODT	フレームで見る  英文をプリントする  脚注をプリントする
私の最後のオピニオン 長年にわたってこのコラムを担当してきた筆者が、最後に、自分の意見を述べるとはどういうことなのか、何に留意しなければならないかについてまとめてくれた。その極意とは...

Over the years it has given me great pleasure to present my opinions to you, dear reader. But all good things must come to an end, and so too must my part in this opinion column. Before I vanish permanently, however, allow me to share some thoughts on a subject on which I have had lots of time to reflect: having an opinion.

A good opinion is increasingly valuable.

We live in the "Information Age." Computer databases and networks have made it possible for the average person to get far more facts than ever before. But simply having information ― something very important in the past ― is no longer good enough today. Instead, the ability to process information, to put it into context and use it, is becoming more critical. To do this, one must have an "opinion," because opinion is the driving force in deciding how information is used. As a result, politicians solicit the opinions of voters. Market research groups also pay consumers for their opinions. In writing this column, I'm even getting paid for mine!

A good opinion should be well thought out and defensible.

In formulating an opinion, it's important to consider all aspects of it and be able to defend it rationally when challenged. Quite frankly, there are too many people in the world with opinions that aren't well thought out. Often such people wind up feeling like idiots when people question them about the particulars of their beliefs. Having an opinion simply for the sake of having an opinion can be very embarrassing and even dangerous.

An opinion should never be set in concrete.

Changing one's opinion too often is not good, but to my mind, never modifying it at all ranks next, in terms of idiocy, to having a poorly thought out opinion. The world's continents are soaked in blood from people killed in the name of inflexible nationalism, religion, or other ideological dogmas. The world also changes constantly, so one day's good opinion may need modifying the next day.

An opinion should never be the same as everyone else's.

Perhaps the biggest weakness of many otherwise highly intelligent people is that they sound exactly like everyone else, even if they are able to express their opinions eloquently. Often, if you listen carefully, you can tell that such people have been reading specific magazines, or watching specific television shows, or participating in group activities where monolithic opinions are demanded (such as political parties). If an opinion is not at all original, one might as well not have it.

An opinion should always be expressed with respect to those holding different opinions.

If you have an opinion that is unique (and therefore valuable), and if you choose to express it, you should give the same right to others. I've learned a great deal from my fellow columnists, and from readers who have responded to me. Thank you all!

ST

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