20 People Reveal Their Most Strongest Held Opinions

I think this might just be recency bias, but it has been on my mind a lot lately:

Prisons must operate on a system of rehabilitation, not punishment. It's the moral way to do things. It is better to try to rehabilitate 100 inmates -- even the very worst -- and fail at 90 than to not try at all.

People say 'well, certain people are irredeemable.' Firstly, no, they aren't. There's statistical evidence to prove that even the worst criminals can be rehabilitated (can be, not will be). Secondly, and more importantly, when you start deciding who is and is not worth fixing, you open the system up to abuse.

Again, it is better to try with everyone and fail at most, than to not try at all and have some come out the other end okay. This is especially important with regards to the death penalty.

MattSR30

My strongest held opinion is that we do not value humility enough. All of us, each and every one, are flawed and ignorant and speak beyond what we should because of our own biases on a regular basis.

Too often we argue things or double down on things we are not properly informed about or have our judgement compromised by our own biases on and it only hurts all of us.

Ralathar44

Libraries are absolutely vital public services, and politicians who attempt to bleed them dry through slow cuts to funding are depriving their communities of a fundamental good.

My city funds the libraries well and it's amazing!

Free/cheap classes on just about anything, you can rent bakeware/sewing machines/3D printers, extremely cheap books, the libraries are all connected so you can pick up books to the closest one to you or even reserve it on the bookmobile if it's easier, summer events for kids, a children's play area in each library, computers/printers/tablets available - even kid versions, movies and TV shows - mine even has the same options as Redbox!

The auto renew your loans for weeks if you don't turn them in. There's digital copies of every book you could want. As well as audio books, music streaming, and educational videos on the app.

They offer services such as resume help, free water and coffee, and they even have a community garden. It's such a benefit to our community, I never realized what an amazing resource a library could be until moving here and experiencing what a well funded one can do!

kag94

Always strive for improvement in physical condition, intelligence, and the lives of those around you.

Since the beginning is 2019, I’ve gone back to school (I’m 42), I’m loosing weight (84 pounds so far) and my fiancé is pregnant (about 5 weeks, it’ll be our first one for both). Let’s just say that not only do I believe in what you said, but I’ve also decided to act on it on a daily basis from now on.

We have one life to live. MAKE THE MOST Out of it.

I’ve still got a lot of work in front of me to be half the man I wish I’ll become, but I’m already so far ahead of the lazy, out of shape and resentful salesman I was a few months ago!

Edit : whoa!! Thank you all for the comments and thanks for the gold and silver! I’m truly grateful for the support! If I can help anyone, send me a message!

tensing99

I believe ALL drugs should be decriminalized (Not necessarily legal).

The system we have right now (for clarity:in the US) is clearly not working. If its decriminalized then the addicts won't be going to jail but instead have resources for rehabilitation. Prison does not help them and they can easily fall right back into the addiction once they get out.

However proper help can get them out of addiction and help the epidemic stop. (Specifically opiods) I know that this is a complex issue as opioids are frequently over prescribed by doctors as well and I'm not quite sure how to fix that issue and I own up to that (perhaps stronger regulation in regards to who can and cannot receive the medication? Idk).

But looking at countries who have decriminalized all drugs, it does help make addiction and substance abuse rates go down a lot more than making them all illegal.

ecnas2000

"If she cheats with you, she will cheat on you."

My brother had a gf who one day brought over her best friend to meet him.

When gf was out of the room, best friend told him she was a better cook, a better cleaner, and a better fuck; and that he should go out with HER, not the gf.

So he did. Dumped his gf and started dating this girl.

When he told me I immediately told him to dump her or he'll be sorry.

He didn't and he was.

How could ANYONE not understand that someone willing to do that to her best friend was a cunt?

TheDevilsAdvokaat

It's more important to know the truth than to be happy. As George Bernard Shaw put it:

"The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one. The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous quality of happiness, and by no means a necessity of life."

Further, to grasp the truth, you have to be willing to take a glimpse into the darkest recesses of existence. Don't dwell there, but have a look.

Nihiliste

Free speech does not equal free of consequences.

If you say something your employer doesn’t like, that’s on you. They have the right to fire you. It isn’t always fair, but that’s how most businesses work, they strive to keep an image and if you’re not part of what they want to be affiliated with then off you go.

Same thing with society, if you say something society doesn’t like you’re gonna get criticized and harassed for it, no matter how right or wrong you are. Sometimes, society has been in the right side of history, sometimes it hasn’t.

Either ways, just because the government can’t arrest you for saying something controversial doesn’t mean people can’t fucking hate you for saying some idiotic bullshit lmao

PrettysureBushdid911

Imprisonment is a harsher penalty than the death penalty. I think the death penalty is a way out. "Oh I'll just kill all those people and then they'll kill me, doesn't matter, I don't wanna live anymore either way".

I just believe there should be a ward where all the worst of the worst criminals would live in horrendous conditions, humane still, but horrendous. And life sentences should be life sentences for most of the time. Idc if you were in your twenties when you killed somebody, if you took away his life, your life should be taken from you.

Of course, that's up for debate, I'm dead set on the first part though.

IgnatiosMp

Hating someone for their theistic beliefs, political leanings, life choices, or likes and dislikes is honestly stupid, and instead, we should judge people based on the content of their character. E.g: I don't care if you are black or white, male or female, if you act like a stupid hood-rat, picking fights, being constantly loud and rambunctious, and having no respect for people who aren't your "Bros." I will see no obligation to have any respect for you and I will more than likely treat you as inferior.

On the other hand, if you have a different political belief, we can be friends. But, that is not to say that there are no exceptions to this: If you were a hood rat and now you are a respectable person, I will put your past behind us and we can be friends or acquaintances. Or, if you have a different political belief and you constantly try to shove it in my face, or telling me off for my beliefs, I will cut contact with you.

irregulargorrila

The school system is broken.

I strongly think school system is broken too, not the management but the whole set up. Having one big exam at the end of the year to determine your future is horrible. Who came up with that crap? I knew couple people in college who ended up fainting during the finals from stress and had to be held back 6 months.

I think every assignment, every quiz, every test you do during the school year should count towards your final mark. This way, people will actually learn and not memorise and omit.

AnnaK22

That this toothpaste should not be recommended, those other 9 dentists can go suck it.

I came across an article a while back about this. The way they get those results is they give polls to dentists that say would you say is better to use x brand over not brushing? Or similar questions that obviously is going to give the answer of x brand. Then they use the results but don't say what the question was. Just that 9 out of 10 dentists prefer x brand!

Cadmond

Being weird is not inherently bad, although it can be. Yes weird people can be awkward, mean, or different to the point that they don't have enjoyable personalities, but that's not always the case

I would consider most of my favorite people weird. In my experience they're interesting and fun to be around, have different ways of seeing things and more thoughtful suggestions

I consider myself weird, and for a long time now I have not felt that being called weird is an insult

ST34MYN1CKS

In American politics, neither the Democrats nor the Republicans give two shits about the American public. Both parties will feed us lies and bullshit to get our votes.

All either party is interested in is gaining or maintaining power in Washington. To do this, they need money. To get money, they cater to the rich, powerful lobbies, and large corporations.

The people? We're just an afterthought.

Edit: Thank you for the platinum kind stranger! I honestly appreciate it.

slider728

I have a few good ones

-If someone hits you, you have every right to hit back

-If you see a muscular guy beating up a skinny guy, you can defend the small guy by beating up the big guy

-If you’re not happy in a relationship, admit it.

-When people say “I’ll try” what it really means is “I’m gonna keep doing what annoys you, without regard for how you feel

-Don’t force your believes on anyone. It only makes them not want to be near you

-faking mental illness is just plain fucked up. Don’t do it

ShaneTheNugget

Oh how about the blatant misuse of the word "backyard"? (this also applies to other contractions such as "backseat", etc.)

The contracted form is to be used exclusively as an adjective an not a noun, folks! Look at this: "I'm having a backyard barbecue." That's correct. Compare this to: "I'm sitting in my backyard." YOUR BACKYARD WHAT MOTHERFUCKER?? In the latter example, that idiot should have said "I'm sitting in my back yard." In that case "back" is the adjective, and "yard" is the noun.

As I mentioned earlier, the same goes for backseat. You can be a "backseat driver" but you only EVER sit in the "back seat." No person has ever sat in the "backseat."

sigmaeni

Science should be at the heart of our decision making process for all that is important. Side note: science is a method, not a result. This means that our body of knowledge will change over time.

Embracing “what we know we don’t know” should be seen as a sign of strength, not weakness.

thx_tex

Thank you for emphasizing that science is a method.

I’m not especially informed in the philosophy of science, but I sometimes feel like people conflate science with the collective opinion of scientists. Science emphasizes things like reproducibility and falsifiability, which do a pretty good job of removing the scientist’s dogma from their results. But when the scientist conveys the model/guess that the method seems to support, we need to remember that their answer derives its trustworthiness (whatever that may be) from the method and not from the scientist’s intrinsic authority or reputation.

I feel like it’s easy to lose sight of that, especially when media punditry is involved.

But I’m also missing data to back up any of these feelings. ;)

yesua

At least in the U.S., the school system is extremely inefficient and wastes a lot of time.

Unbelievably so!

I spent a lot of time out of school in my junior year of high school. In order to get credit for the year, I needed to complete some online coursework, equal to half of each class's total curriculum. 60-day courses, allegedly, were completed each in about 3 day's time.

Now, there's no substitute to in-class learning... the online stuff was really inferior. But my GOD we waste a lot of time in school.

Randomfun4

Vaccines are necessary and important, and if you’re more afraid of your child having autism than you are afraid of your child dying from a preventable illness, then maybe you shouldn’t be a parent.

Also, for the millionth time, vaccines do NOT cause or remotely have any effect on one’s chances of being diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.

lindsaybethhh

I am late to this party but my vote goes to: hurting helpless creatures is the purest form of evil that will ever exist - and this is apparently controversial.

I'm totally flabbergasted by how we all make excuses for people who hurt puppies, children, etc. (Edit: cows, pigs, "food")

It's so patently obvious to me that this behavior represents the worst of what we are and if I ever bring this up I have to convince people that I'm being totally serious.

Hurting a helpless thing is literally the definition of evil but everyone gets all philosophical on me and insists that we consider the context.

No. You're evil.

Edit: hurting helpless creatures makes a person evil is my most ardent belief. It is not a popular stance.

Korganis