“If you have learned how to disagree without being disagreeable,
then you have discovered the secret of getting along —
whether it be business, family relations, or life itself.”
Bernard Meltzer

Have you ever been in a situation where everyone seemed to hold an opinion different from the one you held? Have you ever felt like the little boy who was trying to point out that the Emperor had no clothes on, but had trouble getting the attention of those who were busy praising his new “clothes”? Do you dare to disagree with the generally accepted opinion being expressed?

In the Blogosphere I hear many opinions being expressed. Sometimes I hold a completely different opinion than the one expressed by the writer and by the people leaving comments. It makes me wonder; do people feel more comfortable agreeing with the author of the article, not wanting to hurt his or her feelings, or do the dissenting voices simply remain silent? What about our conduct offline; do we dare to disagree?

On the one hand, you’ve got the general opinion of the crowd, and on the other hand you have your own thoughts and feelings about the topic. On the third hand (yes, there is a third hand!) you’ve got your reputation to uphold. The way people see us is not to be taken lightly.

I hesitated for a long time before publishing the post about hugging because I was afraid it would paint a picture of me as a not-so-warm person. It flew in the face of what I want to do here, at Life, for instance, which is to create a warm and welcoming place. But I took a chance and published it anyway. I realize it’s not a life-changing revelation, but I knew I was likely to be in the minority on the issue of hugging.

What do you do in a situation where the opinion you hold seems to be completely different from the opinion held by the crowd? Do you express your opinion when you disagree, or do you keep it to yourself?  In social situations, business ones or even online, your opinion is your opinion. What do you do with it?

photo credit: Chester Lam