Life Experience - Grasshopper

The Grasshopper visited the other day and had this to say: “Life experience is evidence, but not necessarily factual.”

I took this to mean that a considered opinion is still considered. What I mean by that is your experience that you base your opinion on may not be the whole picture.

“Well, my experience with Sarah is that she is quite opinionated on a number of topics.” In this person’s assertion about Sarah, the word “opinionated” is pejorative in nature - not a flattering label.

What may be lacking in our observer’s experience is the fact that Sarah is one of the most well-read people you’ll ever meet and an established authority on the topics she offers opinions on.

My point here is to make the effort to get more of the whole story rather than base your opinion on a headline. That means to go deeper with the person to get a more fulsome experience.

The old adage “judging a book by its cover” is what’s at play here. And basing your opinion on that small amount of evidence will make you guilty of not exploring the facts that lead to innocence.

I think most of us can spot a blowhard . . . but sometimes I wonder how so many of them get elected. That observation aside, here’s my bottom line: It’s beneficial to inform our opinions with more of the facts, before we issue someone forty whacks.

All the best,