In today’s turbulent and ever-changing social-political climate it is increasingly hard to voice an opinion without receiving backlash and hate.

We are living in a time when everyone thinks their opinion “matters” and where people mistake opinion for a fact. However, this is simply not the case. This way of thinking can be linked to parents and coaches giving everyone trophies and awards for not doing much of anything.

If we continue this ignorant practice, we will continue to have more and more spoiled kids thinking whatever they say is correct. I am not trying to be rude or call anyone out, I am just trying to bring a serious situation I see a lot into the limelight.

We have all done it, yes even I have, it is engraved into our society due to various news networks, social media networks, friends, parents, and celebrities.

We all have our opinions, but we cannot let them get in the way and hinder our freedom of speech. Now, with everyone believing that all of their “opinions” are “facts” if you disagree with them, you could really be in for a lot of hate.

You don’t have to look very far to witness it. Social media plays a  key role in it. You can get on Twitter especially right now and notice a lot of spiteful comments, and after a while it gets annoying. There is a time and a place to voice your opinion.

It is a lot easier for people to say whatever they want on social media too. They do not have to sit right in front of the person whose opinion they are trying to quell and suppress.

Why is your opinion more important and why does it mean more than someone else’s? At the end of the day, they are just opinions and everyone has them, we just have to live with them and accept that not everyone we meet is going to agree with everything we think. Try to listen to them and try to understand it. The least you can do is respect their opinion and maybe they’ll respect yours.

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the GENESIS staff. Reach Christian Ayers at [email protected].