Fact or Opinion, Well That's All Perspective

How Our Perspectives On The Pandemic Are Tearing Us Apart

We all know opinions are like arseholes, everyone's got one. And they can't be wrong. Facts however, are considered very different and often thought that facts are facts and they are binary. Which is true, until you add perspective to the mix, then that fact goes right out the window.

Facts v Opinion:

Have you ever noticed how football commentators and opinion writers use the phrase "I think" to preface almost every sentence the same way a parent uses "As long as you're living under my roof..." at the start of every conversation with their teenager? This is because they know what comes next is their opinion and when it proves to be wrong tomorrow, they don't want to be called out on it. That's smart. You see, while what they are stating is based upon what they believe/know to be true (the facts), and it may well be true at the time, there may well be a number of factors that will prove it to be factually wrong in 5 minutes time.

Things like their source was incorrect, things like circumstances change, things like people change their mind or situations develop. There can be a host of reasons why that comment they believe to be true can historically be proven to be laughably incorrect. Oh, an they could just be making shit up because they get paid to have an opinion.

Then we have facts. Facts have been proven to be correct whether that be scientifically, tested by time, demonstrated to be true, an actual occurrence or something that has actual existence.

So how is it, we can all be supplied with the same facts, yet come up with such divergent "opinions".

Perspective:

One mans trash is another mans treasure.

No one could argue with that, could they? Well they certainly could and no doubt they often do..

Let me explain it like this. If I make $150,000 a year and you make $200,000 a year, the difference in our income is $50,000 a year. That's a fact! It can be mathematically proven, it is not my opinion.

So Frank, what does perspective have to do with this? Great question Frank (another fact).

The perspective kicks in when we use our personal filters to exam that $50,000 difference.

You would say, "That's ok Frank, its only a 25% difference." And you would, rightly so, see that as to be 100% factual and indisputable. After all, $200,0000 - 25% = $150,000.

I however, would say "No, its a 33% (ok 33.333333333%) difference!" This too is 100% factual and indisputable. I can prove it using math. $150,000 + 33.333% = $200,000.

And we would both be factually correct, the only difference being we have used our own filters, our own circumstances, our own values to deliver the facts from our perspective.

During these times of a Global Pandemic I have seen friends and families torn apart based on their opinions on how things have been handled. They have been impacted by how governments at every level deal with this tragedy or how one person or other deal with their own personal tragedy. How they convey this impact, normally via social media, can cause irreparable rifts and for what?

Before making judgement and calling that person out and arguing "the facts", remember facts are only as true to as the perspective from which they are being viewed and what filters and priorities are important to that individual. I would also remind you that "the facts" you are debating today will very likely change tomorrow based on new evidence, as we have seen so many times across the past 18 months.

Stop cancelling. Start listening. You never know what the future will bring. And that's a fact.