Really? Is that a fact?

Too often people phrase an opinion as a statement of a fact. When we do that we polarize1 the minds of those listening. It’s a great way to end a dialogue and begin an argument.


People frequently do the same with what are in reality conclusions2. This again is a great way to end a dialogue and begin an argument.

Adding “in my view” keeps those minds and dialogues open. We don’t need a bi-polar society3.

1. By this I mean that the listeners immediately react in conformity with their prior convictions and cease further analysis. Those that agree see the “statement of fact” as confirmation of their belief and we know how confirmation bias then affects them. Those that hold a contrary belief see the expression of the “fact” as contrary to their belief and then affected also by confirmation bias, discard the “fact” without further consideration.

2. As a tip off, it is not uncommon to see “judgmental” modifiers included in the statement.

3. The analogy is not apt; this last sentence is an example of what I was discussing.