The price of "right"

In his 1937 book "how to win friends and influence people" Dale Carnagie opens by explaining how most people are never wrong, how people's pride and self respect will rarely allow them to be wrong. One of the problems with accepting that our opinion may be "wrong" is that we can rarely ever see it ourselves, that we don't want to give in to others who think they are right.

I think part of the problem stems from our lack of ability to differenciate between fact and opinion. A fact is something that is scientifically verifiable, such as, "I am 6'6' tall, or I was born in County Roscommon".

Opinions on the other hand are what i think, or believe, or feel about myself or someone, or something, and opinions can be changed, usually by education and exposure, it's true that up to 150 years ago men did not think that women should hold property, and up until 90 years ago men were convinced women were too stupid to vote... these were opinions, it was also a pretty universal opinion that the planets moved around the earth and the world was flat..but these opinions faded in the light of education, exposure and understanding.

What does all this mean? I havent thought it out that well yet, but it appears (opinion) to me that opinions can be changed mentally, in order to change our opinion of ourselves we must "think" or "believe" something differently, wheras to change a fact we must take a certain action, it's a fact that i currently weigh 17st'8lbs... now if i want that to change i need to eat less and exercise more.

The truth is that all opinions are just that... opinions...and there is no absolute right or wrong involved, we only have helpful or unhelpful opinions... for example.. i want to get a ticket to a big game...i have two opinions i can choose from... i think i have little chance and it's hardly worth trying...or i am sure one will turn up so i'll contact absolutely everyone i know about it... only one of these gives us a good chance of getting one...

so (and i'm rambling now) we can change our beliefs, most of them are not ours anyway, they we're handed out like Sweets by people who knew feck all either....and we never take the time to look at them in the cold light of day... today i'm going to have a look at a few of mine... you could do a lot worse...

tomorow i'm heading to italy for the first time...it will be interesting to discover if italians are all suave, stunning, sleek creatures, who are good at football and fashion.... i have me doubts