A thin line between opinion and hate

I like to read, seriously. I read everything. Doesn't matter if it's important or not. Facts, fictions, gossips or whatsoever. I can read it all. And while I was reading some of the articles, I've stumbled through this one. Really good point. Credit to the writer, bobbyhundreds. I don't know who he is, I'm too lazy to stalk him. Haha. But I guess I'm going to share what was he wrote about, entitled 'OPINION vs. HATE.'

Opinions are like assholes. But haters ARE assholes.

There’s a difference between OPINION and HATE, and I think it’s time we drew the difference.

Tonight, an erudite and composed (yet justifiably irate) thehundreds.com reader tweeted me, calling me out for what he considered was an ignorant remark on Vancouver’s drug clinics. For years I’ve been privy to the rampant addiction in the city by hearsay from my Canadian friends, and being there this week, I experienced it firsthand. I believe I properly educated myself on the issues surrounding the care of these addicts, and voiced my opinion - albeit accusatory - on my blog.

One of my followers by the name of Billy was pissed. How dare I speak on the matter? I was wrong, and I was misinformed, and it was not only ignorant but careless for me to infer that the City was condoning the behavior and the illness. We went back and forth - RESPECTFULLY and RESPECTABLY - and eventually agreed to disagree. The reality is that as you get older, you realize that life isn’t so black and white, and that all those shades of grey are what classify us as individuals. And it is up to you to voice that opinion, to stand firm in your beliefs, and fight for what’s right.

Billy and I came away from that discourse as more enlightened human beings, a little bit smarter, a little more careful, and a lot more honest in our understanding of each other. It was a practice in social awareness, and it’s a healthy daily ritual in progression. And it’s all because he spoke up and left his comfort zone to confront me on something that meant a lot to him. I get plenty of haters and their mindless drivel goes in one ear and out the other. However, once in a blue moon, I get a Billy who knows what he’s talking about, knows how to talk about it, and more importantly, knows WHY he’s talking about it. And Billy gets a response from me.

OPINION is a rarity these days. Mere decades ago, our peers were literally dying for their causes, protesting in earnest, and suffering the consequences (jailtime, stigma) for it (See: The Weather Underground). But today it’s about politicking and shmoozing and appeasement and, for the lack of a better word, dickriding. It’s indicative of postmodernism’s rapture on the global consciousness. The new millenium is about accepting everything, whether it’s right or wrong, good or bad, delicious or downright disgusting, because it’s easy, comfortable, low-risk, and self-serving, plus everyone is entitled to their opinion and therefore, everybody is correct. And while that’s an ideal to be celebrated because it accommodates all, it leaves little room for critique and ultimately, betterment.

To make matters worse, in the year 2011, what we have in it’s place is HATE - and there is a marked difference there with OPINION. HATE is fueled by jealousy and negativity. OPINION is rooted in intelligence and analysis. HATE is prompted by insecurity and ill will. OPINION is blind, it’s goal is to further truth and understanding. Two people walk away from HATE as worse people. If played the right way, two people sharing opinions, leave the room inspired.

And so don’t just go around moronically LIKE-ing everything (thanks for dumbing us down, Facebook), or HATING everything - but instead, be like Billy. QUESTION EVERYTHING, formulate a stance on important matters because they affect people’s lives, and more importantly, they affect yours. Remember, if you’re not thinking for yourself, someone will do it for you.

Once you’ve determined where you stand, express it and be open to the dialogue that should ensue. This is how things get better, this is how we keep it moving. It’s not about hating and shutting down and spewing negativity, it’s about pushing each other to think a little bit harder and produce a little bit stronger.

This is just my opinion.

Couldn't agree more with his points. We tend to conform, accepting and agreeing with everything we've been fed to. I admit, sometimes I was one of those youths who likes to conform, rather than speak their own minds. But I guess, it's all depends on the situation. Everyone has their own opinions. Respect others opinion and they will respect you back. Not just because they have different opinions than you, you suddenly hate them or bashed their opinions. It doesn't work that way. Don't be such a hater, people. You could always agree to disagree with someone that doesn't think the same way as you do. :)

high school never ends

When I say "I MISS SCHOOL" it means my "FRIENDS AND THE FUN" not the "SCHOOL."

So true! Bila kata rindu zaman sekolah, bukannya rindu sekolah tu. Rindu kawan-kawan and masa-masa gembira time tu je. :P Alkisahnya siang tadi aku pick adik lelaki aku kat sekolah, pening katanya. So, bila masuk balik sekolah lama, tetiba datang nostalgic feeling. Cewah~


Tu yang aku search gambar lama-lama tu. Tak banyak sangat pun. Almaklumlah, dulu-dulu mana ada DSLR, digital camera bagai ni. Ada tu ada tapi tak di'expose'kan lagi. Zaman tu ramai yang guna kamera berfilem lagi. Mahal kot nak amek gambar banyak-banyak. Haha. So, jom la travel down the memory lane sikit-sikit. :P

Aktiviti after PMR. Cat mural. Bajet berseni sangat kan. Haha

Aku tengah sibuk sign baju salah sorang classmate before dia gi MRSM Beseri.
Time ni awal-awal form 4 ni tak silap.

Zati and Amal. Tak tahu apa motip gambar ni. Haha.

Manpreet. Bajet innocent. Haha.

Rock on! Zaman bawak sling bag je gi sekolah. Trend la konon.
Tapi suka sling bag. Ah, rindu bag tu.

Kids, don't try this at home.
Seriously, diorang ni tengah posing kat toilet lelaki. Haha.

Grafiti hasil seni senior. Smart. Suka tengok. Banyak lagi kat tepi-tepi tu.
Biasala, masing-masing berbakat. Haha.

Posing depan surau. Tak tau apa motip. Haha.

Ha, and satu lagi quote yang aku terbaca, "High school changes people. Some for the better, some for the worst. But if one thing is true; you find out who your real friends are." Couldn't agree more. Glad that some of them really become my real friends. :)

geng mengaji

"mim diatas ma..mim di bawah mi..mim didepan mu..mamimu..saya panggil mak saya mummy..ustaz panggil apa mak ustaz?"

Budak yang nama usamah dalam citer ni paling cute aku rasa!
Tengok je la clip kat atas tu. Rasa nak cubit-cubit. Haha.






"mak: nanti dah besar kalo yehyeh jadi tok imam macam mana?
yehyeh: ala..yehyeh tak nak jadi tok imam..yehyeh nak jadi tauke kedai mamak"


Boleh bagi nama anak yehyeh. Ustaz tu pun boleh buat style bandi amuk time panggil nama budak tu mula-mula.Haha.





Hahahaha. Itu antara scene dengan dialog paling tak boleh blah dalam citer ni. Tiap-tiap pagi sahur hari Rabu smpai Ahad pukul 5 tu, memang sah tengok cerita ni kat Astro Prima.
Cute giler budak-budak ni berlakon :D

what and where..

....I've been up to for these past weeks?

Ulu Yam
-small picnic with Shayna and her boyfriend-

Sri Gombak

-breakfast with ice lemon tea gang-

Puchong

-cousin's engagement day-

Batu Caves

-visiting Dya's workplace-

Senawang
-Amzar's wedding-

On the way to UTP

-roadtrip! haha-

Sunway

-break fasting-

credit: pictures from friends :)

hormat-menghormati

Kehadapan makcik yang beratur di belakang saya di kedai sizzling area food court Sogo,


Sesungguhnya saya tahu jam di tangan menunjukkan pukul 7.15 petang. Kira-kira 13-14 minit sebelum buka puasa waktu Kuala Lumpur. Saya faham. Makcik lapar. Saya lapar. Semua orang di food court itu pun lapar. Tapi sesungguhnya ada papan tanda besar yang bertulis 'Please Queue' atau dalam bahasa ibunda negara kita - 'Sila Beratur'. Saya yakin makcik faham. Sedangkan minah saleh yang beratur selang dua tiga orang di hadapan saya pun faham, apalah sangat orang melayu tulen macam kita ni kan makcik? Dan sesungguhnya saya faham makcik tak sabar-sabar nak duduk untuk berbuka, tapi saya pun sama. Tidak perlulah makcik menghimpit-himpit ke hadapan sampai saya rasa macam kena serangan seksual. Ini serius, makcik. Sekarang bulan puasa. Saya sabar. Sesungguhnya makcik pun kena sabar. Bukannya dengan tiba-tiba makcik berteriak kepada abang pembuat sizzling dan tempah apa yang makcik mahu Sesungguhnya itu giliran seorang kakak di hadapan saya dan sepatutnya selepas itu giliran saya, bukan begitu ke makcik? Sesungguhnya saya diajar untuk menghormati orang yang lebih tua, tapi bukan ke orang tua pun patut menghormati yang muda? Bukan begitu? Saya sabar. Kakak di hadapan saya pun sabar. Mungkin kami terlebih menghormati makcik yang tiba-tiba laju sahaja menempah makanan dan dengan selamba badak sahaja lalu di hadapan kami tanpa memandang kami sekilas pun untuk mengambil makanan makcik. Oh makcik. Sesungguhnya saya dan kakak itu hanya mampu pandang-memandang sesama kami dan senyum tawar. Eh, macam mana saya tahu itu senyum tawar sedangkan bulan puasa, mana boleh rasa manis, masin ke tawar kan? Tapi, saya faham. Kami berdua sabar. Kami biarkan makcik buat apa yang makcik mahu. Sebab kami hormat. Sesungguhnya makcik, lain kali makcik hormat orang-orang muda yang lain pula ya? Kita semua hidup kene saling hormat-menghormati, yang muda hormat yang tua, yang tua hormat yang muda, betul tak makcik?


Terima kasih.


Yang Sabar,
Saya yang beratur di hadapan makcik tadi.

salam Ramadhan :)

seriously..

banyak je benda nak story..kot..

tapi....

laptop problem..

internet problem..

maka..

just nak cakap

salam Ramadhan :)

notahati: puasa jangan tak puasa :P