Holding an opinion is easy. Defending a viewpoint, while less so, is also a relatively easy task. Holding an opinion while having your own doubts about the solution in relation to alternatives is difficult.
Many of the societal problems we face today are the result of too much idealistic thinking and not enough discussion to distill an idea to its essential components. At face value, technical and fanciful language would appear to denote a level of expertise or knowledge on a certain topic, but the ability to break a complex problem down into its smaller, more palatable pieces is quite challenging.
Almost anyone can memorize rhetoric or recite trendy talking points, but few can confidently back up a position through deep, open discussion with others. Doing this can initially be the cause of self doubt, but that quickly changes to a greater awareness of the issue at hand when we probe further.
To be confident in our view and persuade others why it might have validity in their own lives, it’s our responsibility to tear apart the concepts that seamlessly categorize themselves in our brain and turn them into something that most people can easily digest. No matter how complex the subject matter, a problem that can’t be reduced to simpler terms carries a higher likelihood of being incorrect, if not solely an indication of general lack of thought and understanding.
We need our time alone to think, but we also need others to explain our ideas to and see for ourselves how concretely our concepts link together. If we do this, both us and those around us will be better equipped to reframe problems and set aside our false confidences in pursuit of the truth.