Poll of the Day > PSA: Speculation and Opinion are not the same thing

(+) Yeah! (+)

There is no reason to defend your unqualified post saying "this game is going to be trash" with saying "well it's just MY OPINION" because that's not how opinions work. If you qualify it with "This game is going to be trash because I don't like games that feature Miis and so the graphics remind me of a regular cash grab" well, at least that's qualified. Take the extra two seconds to qualify your statement before you make it an opinion.

If you can't, then don't bash something you haven't tried and don't want to try even though the only thing that makes it trash to you is your eyeballs. Not only so others don't have to sift through your bullshit, but for yourself... you'll miss some real gems doing that. And you'll be able to keep from making yourself into a fool by defending your "this game is going to suck" with "well this is just my opinion!" later on... because your speculation may well have a basis, but until you can articulate what that basis is (to yourself at least, if not to others), you can't really call this unopinionated argument "an opinion."

Generic: "that's just like, your opinion man"

You could say "That game looks like its going to be crap" that would be an opinion
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Kraide posted...

If you can't, then don't bash something you haven't tried

I would like to serve you a sandwich of horse manure and elephant semen. You aren't allowed to complain until you've eaten at least one bite.


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Mass Effect Andromeda is a perfect example of being able to tell a game was going to be bad without ever having to play it.
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ParanoidObsessive posted...

Kraide posted...

If you can't, then don't bash something you haven't tried

I would like to serve you a sandwich of horse manure and elephant semen. You aren't allowed to complain until you've eaten at least one bite.

Okay. I am not qualified to give an opinion on horse manure and elephant. semen. To me, this sounds more than extremely unappetizing, but as somebody who has not tried it, I will do as you say and *not complain* and keep my uninformed nonopinion to myself (I cannot have an opinion of the flavor of these ingredients, other than to say they sure don't sound delicious in the least. I've yet to ever be even in the relative proximity to either one).

What I will *not* do is start threads specifically about how stupid your horse manure and elephant semen sandwich is. I will not tell others not to try it because it is the most disgusting sandwich there is. I will not say you selling this sandwich is a stupid cash grab. I will not defend my fear of trying your sandwich as "just my OPINION, man!" I will keep it to myself. If I want to share with others information on how bad your sandwich tastes, I will first *TRY IT* so what I can be sharing with others is a *FULL INFORMED OPINION* and not a bunch of useless rabble-rousing. I will allow you to serve your horse manure and elephant semen sandwich in peace, and if anyone is curious enough to try it, or actually likes it, I will not spend my days crusading about these idiots who tried this obviously terrible item that I've never tasted.

Don't misunderstand and allow yourself to believe I am saying you are not entitled to have a gut reaction that is not favorable to something. Just... don't share how horrible it is as your opinion when you can't have fully formed one. Eventually, there will be legitimate opinions that one can parrot around. If I wait until your sandwich has been around for awhile, I'm welcome to say "Look, this sandwich sounds pretty bad, and several people I know didn't enjoy it and the reviews say this sandwich is poor" and I would be pretty accurate. If I then go down and say "obviously this means this sandwich is absolutely abysmal" and I never tried it, well, now I'm being dishonest again and throwing around my gut-reaction as my opinion.

Who hurt you?
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Kraide posted...

There is no reason to defend your unqualified post saying "this game is going to be trash" with saying "well it's just MY OPINION" because that's not how opinions work.

You're kinda barking up the wrong tree since that doesn't happen much on this board. However, I generally agree that the old "Well, that's my opinion" is a fucking stupid coward's way out to an opinion that somebody isn't willing to defend. That said, speculation CAN form the basis of an opinion. It's not really exclusive although, obviously, that's more forward-looking than saying, "Seeing the trailer gives me no hope for the game."
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Kraide posted...

ParanoidObsessive posted...

Kraide posted...

If you can't, then don't bash something you haven't tried

I would like to serve you a sandwich of horse manure and elephant semen. You aren't allowed to complain until you've eaten at least one bite.

Okay. I am not qualified to give an opinion on horse manure and elephant. semen. To me, this sounds more than extremely unappetizing, but as somebody who has not tried it, I will do as you say and *not complain* and keep my uninformed nonopinion to myself (I cannot have an opinion of the flavor of these ingredients, other than to say they sure don't sound delicious in the least. I've yet to ever be even in the relative proximity to either one).

What I will *not* do is start threads specifically about how stupid your horse manure and elephant semen sandwich is. I will not tell others not to try it because it is the most disgusting sandwich there is. I will not say you selling this sandwich is a stupid cash grab. I will not defend my fear of trying your sandwich as "just my OPINION, man!" I will keep it to myself. If I want to share with others information on how bad your sandwich tastes, I will first *TRY IT* so what I can be sharing with others is a *FULL INFORMED OPINION* and not a bunch of useless rabble-rousing. I will allow you to serve your horse manure and elephant semen sandwich in peace, and if anyone is curious enough to try it, or actually likes it, I will not spend my days crusading about these idiots who tried this obviously terrible item that I've never tasted.

Don't misunderstand and allow yourself to believe I am saying you are not entitled to have a gut reaction that is not favorable to something. Just... don't share how horrible it is as your opinion when you can't have fully formed one. Eventually, there will be legitimate opinions that one can parrot around. If I wait until your sandwich has been around for awhile, I'm welcome to say "Look, this sandwich sounds pretty bad, and several people I know didn't enjoy it and the reviews say this sandwich is poor" and I would be pretty accurate. If I then go down and say "obviously this means this sandwich is absolutely abysmal" and I never tried it, well, now I'm being dishonest again and throwing around my gut-reaction as my opinion.

wtf, PO gives a short post and somebody else gives a wall-of-text. Have I wandered into the Twilight Zone?

Muffinz0rz posted...

Who hurt you?

I give you permission to take the night off from trolling. =p
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