3 ms·

You should sprinkle some more "I think" and "I believe" and "I'm under the impression" when stating your opinions, because none of what you say is anything more

You should sprinkle some more "I think" and "I believe" and "I'm under the impression" when stating your opinions, because none of what you say is anything more than speculation and just-so stories.

Clubber 9y ago
When writing an opinion piece, at least in formal writing which has higher standards, writers are trained not to do that. At least in the writing classes I took ages ago. Here's why: https://preciseedit.wordpress.com/2009/06/19/in-my-opinion-i-think-that-i-believe-this-is-bad-writing/ https://preciseedit.wordpress.com/2009/06/19/in-my-opinion-i...
- rhizome 9y ago
  I agree, and of course there's an implied statement of opinion in screeds like GP's, but they set up such a tenuous chain of causality that I just couldn't help myself.
- mistermann 9y ago
  I don't know, if you ask me when in the field of public policy, this approach is a bad idea. When I encounter someone making proposals who is stating opinion as fact, I assume the person doesn't know the difference so I discount their opinion fairly strongly, because a lot if not most people in my experience genuinely don't know the difference.
  - Clubber 9y ago
    Yes, journalism is a bit different, but typically opinion pieces either have OPINION written at the top of the article on the web, or appear in the opinion section of the paper. I generally stay away from opinion pieces because they deliberately try to convince me to a particular side of an argument, which usually excludes alternative information. I'd rather come up with my own conclusions.
eric_h 9y ago
I led the comment with "I really don't think it's that clear cut" - intending to indicate I was about to express an opinion. I have a friend in the NYPD, who did not turn his back on the mayor in that incident. This problem needs to be solved from the top down. Police need to be constantly reminded that their job is more than just being enforcers.

You should sprinkle some more "I think" and "I believe" and "I'm under the impression" when stating your opinions, because none of what you say is anything more than speculation and just-so stories.

Clubber 9y ago

When writing an opinion piece, at least in formal writing which has higher standards, writers are trained not to do that. At least in the writing classes I took ages ago. Here's why: https://preciseedit.wordpress.com/2009/06/19/in-my-opinion-i-think-that-i-believe-this-is-bad-writing/ https://preciseedit.wordpress.com/2009/06/19/in-my-opinion-i...

rhizome 9y ago
I agree, and of course there's an implied statement of opinion in screeds like GP's, but they set up such a tenuous chain of causality that I just couldn't help myself.
mistermann 9y ago
I don't know, if you ask me when in the field of public policy, this approach is a bad idea. When I encounter someone making proposals who is stating opinion as fact, I assume the person doesn't know the difference so I discount their opinion fairly strongly, because a lot if not most people in my experience genuinely don't know the difference.
- Clubber 9y ago
  Yes, journalism is a bit different, but typically opinion pieces either have OPINION written at the top of the article on the web, or appear in the opinion section of the paper. I generally stay away from opinion pieces because they deliberately try to convince me to a particular side of an argument, which usually excludes alternative information. I'd rather come up with my own conclusions.

eric_h 9y ago

I led the comment with "I really don't think it's that clear cut" - intending to indicate I was about to express an opinion. I have a friend in the NYPD, who did not turn his back on the mayor in that incident. This problem needs to be solved from the top down. Police need to be constantly reminded that their job is more than just being enforcers.