I was watching a youtube video when a family member, rather out of the blue, said that the woman’s opinions of which I was watching had little value due to her uneducated status. Based on looks and premeditated assumptions, this person had already come to a conclusion as to what another was worth when in a debate. That was until I did a bit of research and found that our point of controversy graduated with a Scottish Master of Arts in Philosophy from the University of St.Andrews where she was the top of her class.
This got me thinking. Why do we value and rank others opinions while also having an opinion ourselves? To us, we would deem our views as correct and valuable while others may not. It’s strange-as I was talking to this family member I wondered how it was okay for them to have an opinion (one they freely expressed) when they also, evidently, have little knowledge of the speaker or the situation at all.
Within modern day, it seems as though we value and rank each other’s opinions based on qualities such as education, looks, character, and more. This is not inherently a bad thing, it is just something that I believe needs analysing and that is what I shall be doing in this essay.
Education adds a layer of reliability on an opinion-making one more likely to be dependent on it. If a person, coming from a well-informed background in a subject, states an opinion-then it is viewed as higher value. This is due to a deeper understanding of a subject than the base-line of the everyday man. If a person dedicates their time to looking into a subject, then it is to be assumed that their opinion on the matter can be taken at face value. However, facts aren’t steadfast. They change. This is evident in the new development of knowledge causing school textbooks to be updated. For example, the changing status of Pluto as to whether it is a planet and the fact that most people once thought God created man while now the majority (65% according to pewresearch.org) believe in evolution. While facts may be a solid truth at the moment, overall, they are ever-changing as humanity progresses. Thus, it would be correct to assume that education-while vital-is not always a good measure as to whether someone’s opinion should be listened to.
Furthermore, as stated in the dictionary definition, opinions aren’t ‘necessarily based on fact or knowledge’. These are personal beliefs and are only ‘fact’ to the owner of said opinion. Therefore, they cannot be ranked as everyone will be inherently biased, believing that their word is correct. Now, that does not mean that one cannot see the viewpoint of another or that they cannot see the weaknesses and flaws within their own opinions. It means that, subconsciously, they are more inclined to agree with others who share the same viewpoints and be more combative with those who don’t. Yet again, as mentioned, this isn’t inherently a bad thing and just promotes a healthy debate-something which is needed to also further our education.
It is key to note that class and the financial situations of a person also influences their level of education and thus, in many people’s eyes, their opinion. Someone may not be able to get a university degree due to the ever rising costs of university tuition along with the overall cost of living. According to walesonline.co.uk, nearly a quarter of the UK’s 2.5 million university students cannot afford their required textbooks. This was from a poll of 1,000 students. Not only this, but 1 in 6 considered quitting their course to get a job-therefore sacrificing their education to be able to survive in the current climate. Almost a fifth of students needed to visit a foodbank to eat or knew someone who had to and 35% relied on financial help from their family more than before. While the poll sample is small, it would be unwise to assume that this isn’t a fairly accurate representation of many university students throughout the United Kingdom. The obscene prices to obtain a document letting others know you’re educated, allows you to be viewed as having a more valuable and trustworthy opinion-despite the fact that information is ever changing and opinions are inherently personal. To say that one’s opinion is more valuable than others is, to some degree, classist as there will be people who have the potential to obtain a university degree yet cannot due to financial hurdles put in their way. Additionally, a lack of a degree does not mean that someone isn’t dedicated to a subject. Someone can do an immense amount of research into a subject without having to go the official route, yet in many people’s eyes, because they haven’t obtained a piece of paper, their opinion is automatically not as valuable.
To continue, when I mentioned the university degree of the aforementioned point of controversy to my family member, they said that they bet that it wasn’t a Russell group or highly accredited university. This is a good display of hierarchy within the education system, further ranking the value of opinions. While the number of state school students being accepted into Russell group universities have risen, universities still tend to favour private school students due to the higher level of education. In 2020, 93% of UK children were state educated but only 70% of Oxbridge students had come from state schools (goodschoolsguide.co.uk). Those who have more money tend to do better in the education system, entering into the Russell group universities and boosting their prestige. As evidenced, this isn’t to say that state school students do not make it, but the acceptance rate is disproportionate. The system is ranking education which therefore leads to a ranking of opinions in everyday life. As seen in my relative, while university students are to be trusted more than the average uneducated individual, Russell group students are another step up. This is unfair.
Some may say that a lack of education breeds ignorance but this is an assumption that ignores the fact that educated people have the capacity to be ignorant too. Plus, it could be said that calling someone ignorant is also a matter of opinion, thus meaning that it is not fact. Humans tend to make assumptions on a person based on looks and character which then places that person into a position within their subconscious hierarchy. Yet again, this isn’t inherently a bad thing as it cannot be changed-this action is mostly subconscious. However, it does mean that the value of a person’s opinion is also judged on these factors. A person’s assumptions are based on childhood, morals, values, and the world around them. A racist white man from middle America may view a black woman’s opinion as lesser but this does not mean that his opinion of this woman is correct. His opinion is based on external factors which prevents him from being able to correctly and unbiasedly rank the worth of her opinion further adding to my point that opinions cannot be compared. They should be left as is.
In conclusion, I think it’s safe to say that one opinion cannot hold a higher value than another, nor can they be compared. An opinion is not fact and the reinforcement of an opinion-education-also cannot be used as a measurement due to an unfair system. This is my personal truth-my opinion. It may not be one you share but it should be respected, just as every other one should. To one, my thoughts may be brilliantly correct, but to another I may be completely wrong. Meaning, the value of my opinion fluctuates depending on who is evaluating it. Everyone is influenced by those around them, their education system, and their personal experiences. This is a good thing. It means we have lived and thus, are entitled to our opinions.