Opiphobia

On my drive home from work today, I contemplated a phenomenon that has been occurring in society especially for the last 15 years.

Through conversation online or offline, you and another party discover that you both have perfectly reasonable opinions but disagree with one another (i.e. both your opinions are reasonable, but different).
The phenomenon is when, having discovered you have contrasting (but reasonable) opinions, one party attempts to shame the other for holding their opinion, either through suddenly becoming confrontational or by making out that they're a terrible person for holding what is a perfectly reasonable opinion.

Examples:

1. Someone finds out that you're a conservative and because of this alone, proceeds to label you "racist" or "xenophobic".

2. Someone discovers that you do not agree with 'gender ideology', and because of this alone, goes on to label you homophobic or transphobic.

I would like to introduce a new term into society that describes this phenomenon: opinion-phobic, or opiphobic.

I'd like to offer a formal definition:

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Opiphobic:
adjective

Having or showing a strong dislike or prejudice against a person with a reasonable opinion that differs from your own.

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I have included 'reasonable' in the definition to prevent the term being used to side-step challenges to genuinely racist (for example) beliefs.

Reply 1

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

I see the professional pearl clutchers are at it again...

Reply 2

mathperson

Original post by artful_lounger

I see the professional pearl clutchers are at it again...

Not being opiphobic, are you? :wink:

Reply 3

rovannieri

Original post by mathperson

Not being opiphobic, are you? :wink:

Opiphobia-

According to the definition many people seem to be opiphobic-
In a few words they can't handle opinions that don't agree with their own-

Reply 4

mathperson

Original post by rovannieri

Opiphobia-

According to the definition many people seem to be opiphobic-
In a few words they can't handle opinions that don't agree with their own-

Oh yes, it's an unfortunate characteristic of the polarising nature of society today. Nobody seems to be able to be respectful to anybody who disagrees with them. Goodness knows why.

Reply 5

anosmianAcrimony

When all else fails and you can't justify your position any other way, just yell as loud as you can: "IT'S MY OPINION AND I'M ENTITLED TO IT!"

Reply 6

mathperson

Original post by anosmianAcrimony

When all else fails and you can't justify your position any other way, just yell as loud as you can: "IT'S MY OPINION AND I'M ENTITLED TO IT!"

The thing is that nobody, of any political persuasion, needs to justify their opinion to anybody.

Reply 7

londonmyst

Original post by mathperson

The thing is that nobody, of any political persuasion, needs to justify their opinion to anybody.

Unless they are a political party candidate standing for election and needing to attract sizeable chunks of local voter support in the face of a few strong opposition candidates. :tongue:

Reply 8

mathperson

Original post by londonmyst

Unless they are a political party candidate standing for election and needing to attract sizeable chunks of local voter support in the face of a few strong opposition candidates. :tongue:

True

Reply 9

rovannieri

Original post by mathperson

Oh yes, it's an unfortunate characteristic of the polarising nature of society today. Nobody seems to be able to be respectful to anybody who disagrees with them. Goodness knows why.

It's due to the woke ideology teaching its members to be opiphobic-
They're getting a reaction from the rest of the people who see them as intolerant-

Reply 10

rovannieri

Original post by anosmianAcrimony

When all else fails and you can't justify your position any other way, just yell as loud as you can: "IT'S MY OPINION AND I'M ENTITLED TO IT!"

That's a valid argument- everyone is entitled to their opinions- the woke seems not able to accept this basic right-

Reply 11

anosmianAcrimony

Original post by rovannieri

That's a valid argument- everyone is entitled to their opinions- the woke seems not able to accept this basic right-

It's true and I accept that. But I'd also like to point out that if the best argument you can make for your opinion is that it's not literally illegal to hold, that's a bit pathetic, isn't it? Hardly compelling!