Category Archives: opinion

Mar 16 1 comments
belief, Benjamin Disraeli, opinion

>Predominant Opinions Are Generally

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Think of the predominant opinions of past generations. I know that some people do still believe these things, maybe even you do. But they are no longer the predominant beliefs in much of the world, and are fading away in areas where they are still strong.

For example:
The earth is flat
The liver is the center of intelligence
Tomatoes are poisonous
Interracial marriages will create monster babies
Slavery is legitimate
Women are intellectually inferior to men
People in hotter climates are less intelligent
Wealth proves moral uprightness
Life spontaneously generates from non-life
Physical deformities from birth prove immorality in the family’s past
Now think of what the prevailing opinions are in your society now. Do you think they will be around in 90 years? Tell me what opinions and ideas you think will go by the wayside by 2100.
Let’s get an interesting list going!


Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman of The Napkin Dad Daily

Quote by Benjamin Disraeli, 1804-1881, two time British Prime Minister

Feb 15 2 comments
comfort, John F. Kennedy, opinion, thought

Too Often We Enjoy The Comfort

Early on in life, when our opinions and ideas about things are not yet fully formed, and we might be parroting our parents or teachers or friends, we often raise our voices to express our opinion in inverse proportion to how comfortable we are with them. It’s as if we are trying them out to see how they fit but don’t want to admit it so we flaunt them with the assuredness only available to the young.


As we age we hopefully start to realize a few things. First, we don’t have to always prove ourselves. Second, we don’t have to change our mind to fit someone else’s opinion just because we listen to them, and third, we can still love those we disagree with.

I had a conversation recently with someone who said ‘people never change’. By that she meant, their base personality doesn’t change, and I, for the most part, agree with that. But I also feel like experience and wisdom and circumstances and habits can all modify, contract or expand one’s personality in new and better directions…IF one is deliberate about facing one’s self, willing to learn and grow and become more of their best self.

Then they will be comfortable in their own skin.

Speaking of, I forgot to mention which Super Bowl ad was my favorite. There were a few, but the one I liked best was the Dove Men + Care commercial that showed a furious montage of a man’s life from birth until his daughters are grown up. Then it cuts to him smiling serenely while laying on the grass. He is comfortable in his own skin is the idea.

Of course, Dove is advertising the reality that while a man might be comfortable in his metaphorical skin of life, his actual skin might need some help.

I thought the commercial was spot on for men about my age, and who knows, maybe the products are too. I will report back, ok?

Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman of The Napkin Dad Daily

Quote by John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963, 32nd President of the United States

Oct 10 0 comments
actions, Georg Christoph Lichtenberg, opinion

>Don't Judge People By Their Opinions

>Here is a vintage napkin from 2004, originally put in my daughter’s high school lunch (yes I made their lunch all the way into high school).

The same could be said of religion (which is a type of opinion when you get right down to it). Other ways of saying it are ‘the proof is in the pudding’ or ‘if you are going to talk the talk, you better walk the walk’.

Whatever the saying, the idea is the same. The only way to prove you really believe what you say you believe is for your actions to consistently (not perfectly, just consistently) reflect your beliefs and opinions.

I am much better at talking about what I believe than I am in backing it up with action. But what I have learned over time is to rein in my words, to keep them closer to what I know I will act on than to just talk about ideas as if I really can act on them all.

That is why I try in my writings here to put in the caveat that I am preaching to myself or that the idea I am presenting is one I haven’t learned very well yet.

It is important to reach farther than you can grasp though, so one should always aspire to greater things than you are sure you can achieve. You just need to keep words and deeds in close contact at all times!

Drawing by Marty Coleman, The Napkin Dad
Napkin Dad Daily blog

Marty’s website


Sep 20 0 comments
anger, arguing, opinion, Samuel Butler

>An Obstinate Man

>When I come across people who have no doubt about something and combine that with a belief that ‘change’ is a sign of giving in, of weakness, I know I am in for a rough time in any conversation regarding opinions or beliefs.

Here is why. The person is not going to be listening to ideas for their own value but only as attacks to be repelled. They often will think that merely listening to an idea is tantamount to having to take it as their own. They don’t have the willingness to consider an idea because they don’t realize they can listen, evaluate and reject or accept.

Every idea is a threat because they do not actually have a well-defined strength of belief. The facade is so strong exactly because the inside is so vulnerable.

Drawing by Marty Coleman, The Napkin Dad
http://napkindad.blogspot.com
http://www.martycoleman.com

Quote by Samuel Butler, 1835-1902, British Author


Feb 09 0 comments
opinion, Sarah Grand, self

>Our Opinion of People

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Opinion

This is a tough one for people to grasp. It means you have to look inward and be honest about what is in YOU instead of what is in the person you are judging.

For example, let’s say you have a low opinion of a person at your work who has noticeable tattoos all over his body. What does seeing all those tattoos bring up in yourself? I don’t mean your surface reasons for not liking them. I mean your interior anxieties that the tattooed presence brings out. What is he making you see in yourself?

Let’s say you have a high opinion of a glamorous, high society client. What does she do for you, for your ego, your dreams, your aspirations, that make you think highly of her? What is she making you see in yourself?


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