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Difference Between Insult and Opinion

on Sunday, January 30, 2011
By: Aeon Jelsey

People always tend to use “In my opinion” to mask their insults towards someone whom they are deliberately trying to defame. Some press or just even ordinary person who seems not to like someone will find a way to express their disgust to someone or anyone in a rude insulting manner and when reprimanded, they would just shield themselves with the phrase “Respect my Opinion”.

On this article I would try to somehow distinguish “Insults” from “Opinions” with the resources I can find on-line.

Definitions:

Insult according to Webster Dictionary means “To treat with abuse, insolence, indignity, or contempt, by word or action; to abuse while Opinion means “That which is opined; a notion or conviction founded on probable evidence; belief stronger than impression, less strong than positive knowledge; settled judgment in regard to any point of knowledge or action.”

Reasons that drive people to insult someone:

Hatred, envy, jealousy are the common reasons why people tend to insult others clearly for no reason at all but it’s their way of channeling their own frustrations towards the subject of their hate. Bad thing about it; extreme hate may consume the one hating and lead to self-destruction in some cases.

Misinformation also can somewhat cause un-intelligent assumptions leading to disgust then based on the assumptions they will tend to give insulting remarks than intelligent opinions.

Food for thoughts for your mind to digest:

"He who wishes to exert a useful influence must be careful to insult nothing. Let him not be troubled by what seems absurd, but concentrate his energies to the creation of what is good. He must not demolish, but build. He must raise temples where mankind may come and partake of the purest pleasure." - Johann von Goethe

Many people around the world are not able to understand the difference between Freedom of Speech and Insult. Some time they think that insulting someone is a freedom of Speech. Insulting or abusing someone without knowing the facts and truth shows mental disabilities of person. Abusing someone without the reason is the lowest form of human nature.

"A gentleman will not insult me, and no man not a gentleman can insult me." - Frederick Douglas

Sources:
Webster on Line
Dictionary 3.0
Difference between Freedom of Speech and Insult

Conclusion:

Stating an opinion in itself is never wrong as long as you have good basis but opinions that stem out from hatred and envy is never healthy. If your intention is to make someone refrain from doing some inappropriate actions, you can always use constructive criticisms instead.

People will always clamor for “Freedom of Expression” and most believe that insulting someone is part of their freedom to express. They may have a point but if we will all think the same way I think the world is in chaos right now. Most countries came up with laws in trying to control the use of verbal abuse that sometimes lead to injuries and even death of a person. Words can be used as weapon against someone, I guessed you’ve heard about Teen suicides because they where bullied on some on-line social networks but I won’t go further on that subject.

“Being human is given, but humanity to be kept you must strive to abstain from doing inhuman acts.” – Aeon Jelsey

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