In most situations, I'll let you know my opinion in a heartbeat--no apologies, no hesitation at all. However, there are a few subjects that I share my opinion with almost noone. This came up a few weeks ago in a conversation with SJ because I had gotten upset because he kept returning to a subject that I disagreed with him that he had never really gotten the information on how I actually felt about it at all.
A few hours ago, I shared a small portion of my opinion and testimony of the gospel in a comment on a blog that I love to follow. I feel so much anxiety because of it. (Yay for going out of my comfort zone?) I eventually decided to push harder on that reluctance and share a little more instead of closing up again.
In middle school, I had a real-life experience of people getting misconceptions about my church. That, combined with how I practically live on the internet, has a lot to do with never voicing an opinion that I feel would be wildly controversial--religion, politics, certain musicians, Twilight... They are all internet argument powder kegs and I have stayed away from them as much as possible. I think I need to change that, at least a little, to avoid the situation that sparked this blog post in the first place.
Religion: I am Mormon. There are a couple of things that I have trouble with (some members, stance on homosexuality, etc), but right now, this is the best place I can be for me, personally. I subscribe to a very live and let live kind of lifestyle--if you aren't actively hurting others or even yourself, I don't care what you're doing. If our personalities are compatible, it doesn't matter at all what kind of life you live, I will be your friend.
The conversation that I had with SJ? It was about Twilight. I had casually voiced my opinion once or twice (I LOVED the writing style but was disappointed in how it ended up and hated the main character--bottom line, I kind of liked it and suspect that people who say they hate it actually hate the rabid fans and know nothing of the book). SJ voices his dislike of "sparkle fairies" every time Twilight is brought up, it seems. I don't really like his behavior because he hasn't even read the books or watched the movies (to be fair, I've only watched the first movie, but I've read all the books).
I feel like I've always leaned more towards the "don't knock it til you try it" stance or, more clearly, a strong opinion is earned from having more exposure to the subject-you don't get to tell people what to do in a certain situation unless you've been through it. <examples> I have no experience with homelessness, so I withhold almost all comments. I do have experience with psychological abuse and can be vocal about it if I think it will help someone else. I am an expert on which books I like and regard you with skepticism if you repeatedly tell me that my life isn't complete if I haven't read a specific book (especially if I've already decided not to read it because of what I have learned about the literature). </examples>
It's hard to share my opinions when they're not inconsequential, like what foods I like or don't like and my current favorite tv show...
