No attempt to examine the knowledge base of the respondent is made.

No exploration of the framework for an opinion is established.

No determination of the source of the information upon which an opinion is based is explored.

It is enough to just have an opinion. CNN will collect them. MSNBC will discuss them. FOX News will banner them. And, all of these random opinions will form the basis of the news cycle, as if they mattered. Imagine a society conducted around the random thoughts of your average 14 year old!

After this mass of noise is gathered into a neat little bundle called, "Public Opinion" it quickly takes on a life of its own. Anyone who, heretofore, had not given the issue any real thought is suddenly presented with an answer to the question, "What do you think?" The are confronted with an overwhelming social tendency to agree with their peers. To conform to the weight of opinion that seems at the very least, to have been offered by those who have thought of the issue more than they.

Here are two examples. Note, passion, cries of justice, issues with your Mother, and infrequent headaches, do not provide a logical defense.

What do you think of the I/P issues? (Confession. I never read those diaries because I can't get through the spittle and angst to any real understanding of WHY such violent opinions are held.) Defend your position and tell me why you hold that view.

How is the government conducting the oil clean up in the Gulf? Why do you think as you do? Demonstrate your detailed knowledge of the process in defense of your position.

We frequently decry the abject ignorance exhibited by "the man on the street" interviews, and the small minded hysteria voiced by random folks pulled aside to give their opinion. But what are we doing to actually further intelligent analysis? How are we being shaped by the landslide of "Public Opinion" delivered as a "Yes" or "No" via Twitter, or a Facebook page that begs for affirmation?

There is a 2000 year old trick that would go further to clarify, and extend, the rash of opinions with which we are daily deluged. It would also provide tremendous assistance to those who really have no opinions on complex issues because they instinctively understand that they may not have all of the information they need, and random opinions provide nothing but a cover for not learning about, and understanding the issue.

"Why?"

It used to drive my students crazy... until they began to appreciate the logical traps, misinformation, and misguided passions they were cloaking in the guise of "opinion".