That word is "opinion."
Recently on this forum, a discussion...uh...arose
that I perceived as a kind of "dick-size contest."
Someone mentioned a film that he'd liked, describing
it as "very trippy," although "probably WAY too
weird for Joe and Jane Public."
Because I was out of posts, I responded to that
poster in email saying that I had recently seen
the movie and found it "unwatchable." Said poster
then...uh...reacted by taunting me in a later
post to "share my 'expert critic' analysis on the
film with folks here." He was obviously affronted
by the fact that my opinion about the film
differed from his.
Because I love rapping about films, I did so. I
used the taunt as an opportunity to write up a
Tantric melding of that film ("Synecdoche, New
York") with something no one else on Earth would
probably compare to it, the TV series "Dollhouse."
In that rap, I explained a little *why* I found
it unwatchable, carefully peppering my rap with
the words (in capital letters) "FOR ME," trying
my best to indicate that this *was* pure opinion,
not a declaration of fact or "truth" about the
film. I then had fun rapping about other aspects
of film and television that I found fascinating,
*as opinion*.
The original poster seems to have reacted strongly
enough to the expression of OPINION that differed
from *his* OPINION to have written a long "resume"
of his experience and "track record" with regard
to appreciation of the film arts, in which he
found the need to refer to himself 69 times. He
then challenged me to present MY "credentials."
I bowed out of the contest. Several here "piled on"
to accuse me of cowardice for bowing out. At the
time, I thought that this was the right way to go,
because I really have VERY little interest in dick-
size contests, whether they are about declaring
one's OPINION about a film "better" than another,
or about declaring one's OPINION about a spiritual
teacher "better" or "more authoritative" than
another, or about declaring one's understanding
of a point of philosophy or belief (*by definition*
OPINION) "better" or "more correct" than someone
else's.
Mea culpa. I just don't think those things are
worth my time. I know that *anything* I believe --
about a film, about a spiritual teacher, or about
a point of philosophy or belief -- is OPINION.
Call me a wuss, but I don't think it's worth
getting into dick-size contests with those who
feel that *their* OPINIONS are "better" (or, to
call a spade a spade, "longer") than mine.
But just for fun, here is my "resume" as a film
critic:
I'M JUST A GUY WHO LIKES MOVIES.
That's it.
There are certainly *many* people on this planet
who can claim to have more "expertise" to "back
up" their OPINIONS about movies or TV. Some can
trot out long "resumes" to "prove" their expertise
in these matters.
But WHY would one want to do so?
Could it possibly be a desire to "prove" their
OPINION "better" or "more correct" or "more
authoritative" than someone else's?
Cool, I guess, if that's what gets you off, in
film criticism or in spiritual practice. I don't
get off on that. I just get off on having mere
OPINION and rapping about it. I allow anyone
"out there" in the reading audience to judge that
OPINION any way they want to, without trying
to declare it "authoritative," or "expert."
It's just my OPINION.
So is this cafe rap this morning. I was inspired
to write it by the memory of my favorite bar in
Santa Fe, NM. I loved that bar because of its
'tude.
The 'tude at the bar was "Everyone here is equal."
Your "worth" or sense of "authority" or "expert-
ness" at that bar was how well you were able to
express your OPINION on any subject. What you
"brought to the table" in terms of your "exper-
tise" or past history or "accomplishments" was
irrelevant. How much money you had was irrele-
vant. Your position in society was irrelevant.
The *only* thing that mattered was how well you
were able to express your OPINION on any given
subject, everyone knowing and being comfortable
with the fact that *all* of it was OPINION.
Every so often some tourist would come in and
join the conversation. They'd say something and
find that everyone else at the bar reacted to
what they said as if it were mere opinion. And
they'd get UPSET about this. Where they'd come
from they were used to people reacting to the
things they said as if they were "authoritative,"
or "truth." And the crowd at this bar didn't
react that way, and that upset them.
So they'd launch into long explanations of who
they were and what their accomplishments were
and why they should be considered "authorities"
in this matter, not just one more person around
the bar.
And everyone would ignore them, and drink their
beers, and get back to just being One More Person
Around The Bar, sharing opinions, as equals.
