Editorials

There is no more powerful weapon in the world than the Opinion. This is because of one reason: they are inarguable.

Opinions allow people to degrade other people without getting in trouble. They are a safety net for harmful comments. All one has to do is include the phrase “In my opinion”, “No offense”, or “Nothing personal” to any statement. Suddenly, anything can be said, without consequence, because there is a belief that everyone is entitled to an opinion.

Put simply, an opinion is a completely excusable verbal punch to the face.

People have capitalized on opinions for years. For example, in Biblical times, the Pharisees decided that some dude named Stephen was getting in their way. In their opinion, his message was one of revolution. After all, he was promoting things such as faith in Jesus and love for fellow man. In their opinion, he was dangerous.

So they had him killed.

However, while opinions were always dangerous, they were still limited in their exposure.

Until mass media came along and ruined everything.

Newspapers were quick to use opinions for profit. How? Through the use of the Editorial. People in charge of the paper were able to write an article that was their opinion on a subject. Then, they were able to spread their opinions wherever the paper was sold.

Genius, really.

People with control had the ability to spread their message easily. As communication advanced, Editorials were no longer limited to just newspapers. Radio and Television meant that now a single opinion could reach and influence a wider audience.

The propagating of an opinion to the masses through radio and television. Sound familiar?

News anchors and dictators now had something in common: a huge audience listened to their opinions. Walter Cronkite held the same power as Hitler.

But it didn’t stay that way. Because something awful happened:

The Internet.

The Internet Box changed everything about communication. Opinions were not limited to just people in positions of power anymore. Now, EVERYONE had the ability to share their opinion to a world wide web of information.

So guess who happens to be on the same level as dictators now.

The citizens of the Blogosphere now had the ability to write whatever they wanted to and get away with it. Racism? It’s there. Sexism? Of course. Just sheer lazy bigotry? That’s about half the Internet.

But blogging takes time. Some people don’t have the time to write 500 words on why they hate Bush/Obama/[Insert ANY Political Figure Here]. That is why the forum, chatroom, or comment section was invented.

However, in 2005, the world of stupid opinions reached an entirely new low. Or high. Depending on how you look at it.

Something was created that destroyed all of the boundaries that had once help opinions back in their little opinion pastures, chewing their opinion cud.

In February of 2005, YouTube was created. And finally, every idiot with a cameraphone and a voice could be heard.

But that wasn’t enough. Because the lowest of the low, the absolute scum of humanity, appeared in droves to do a despicable act. It’s an act that is almost unbearable to mention.

They started commenting on YouTube videos.

Soon, every single video of an adorable cat jumping into a bag was accompanied by “this cat is stoopid”. Did you put up a video of your adorable baby having a good time? Best turn off comments, unless you want to be subjected to strangers letting you know your son sux.

People go to YouTube just to find new things to hate. Soon, there will be nothing that is above insult. People will be unable to find joy anywhere.

Why? Because humanity is heading down a negativity spiral. Everyone’s opinion will soon be that everything around them sux. People will exist just to find ways to look down on other people.

So if you spend your time scouring the Internet, looking for places to comment or people to force your viewpoint upon, you have become the scum of the Earth.

But it’s nothing personal. Just an opinion.

Today’s topic was partially inspired by The Jackson Free Press, a semi-journalistic publication in Jackson, Mississippi. It’s nothing personal, JFP.

Quick! Give me the most derogatory comment you’ve ever written! DIRECT IT AT ME