“Theobros, slithering like Houdini, rub the bottle for a different genie.” — that’s a line from my poetic critique of Josh Butler’s Beautiful Union.
In 1869, John Stuart Mill explained one of the reasons for this slithering. In his book The Subjugation of Women, he wrote:
So long as an opinion is strongly rooted in the feelings, it gains rather than loses in stability by having a preponderating weight of argument against it. For if it were accepted as a result of argument, the refutation of the argument might shake the solidity of the conviction; but when it rests solely on feeling, the worse it fares in argumentative contest, the more persuaded its adherents are that their feeling must have some deeper ground, which the arguments do not reach; and while the feeling remains, it is always throwing up fresh entrenchments of argument to repair any breach made in the old.
This applies to any opinion that is strongly rooted in the feelings.
Have you seen what John Stuart Mill describes? Would you like to share examples that you’ve observed?
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The title of the post:
I wouldn’t say this is true in all circumstances….I don’t think it’s a black-and-white issue. There are so many variables one needs to consider, and it’d take a book (not necessarily the John Stuart Mill book that was quoted from in the original post) to describe all the possibilities….and I’m sure there are probably already some books on this topic that’ve been written. 😊
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You are right, Finding Answers.”When an opinion is strongly rooted in the feelings, the opinionated person digs in harder when challenged by argument” is not true in all circumstances. I am a muddle headed wombat sometimes. As a blogger, I don’t think I have the grip I once had. I appreciate you pushing back at me. :)
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Barb,
You wrote (24th June 2023):
I don’t think you’re a muddle headed wombat, Barb, and I don’t think you’re losing the grip you once had as a blogger….although I do like the description “muddle headed wombat”. 😊
And I was NOT pushing back at you in my comment….I was merely pointing out to (pushing back at?) other readers that things aren’t black-and-white. Unfortunately, some of those other readers to whom I was making the point that things aren’t black-and-white won’t understand the point I was making for the very reason as the title of your post (When an opinion is strongly rooted in the feelings, the opinionated person digs in harder when challenged by argument.).
And obviously, based on your reply to me, Barb, you’re not in the same category as 😊 (to quote what I wrote in this comment):
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John Stuart Mill was perfectly correct in what he said about opinions. And Barb used the quote perfectly correctly. I have spent decades learning the truth of this quote.
The quote started with Mill saying,
In other words, if and opinion … then the rest follows logically.
This is because 4 out of 5 people cannot use logic. Research into intelligence has shown this. Therefore, they cannot recognize logic when it is presented to them. A logical argument is meaningless to them.
Therefore using logic with someone who cannot understand logic to counter an opinion formed through other (emotional) means is almost certainly a waste of time.
I say “almost certainly” because it is possible that someone (amongst the 1 in 5) who can use logic failed to do so in forming their opinion. Therefore it is possible they can recognize the logic of the counter-argument and be persuaded but it is unlikely due to the myriad reasons Finding Answers refers to. But these will definitely be in the tiny minority.
Mill’s statement is a generalization which means it is generally true and perfectly valid. As is Barb’s use of it and as is my argument. None of us have said, “In absolutely every case…” so it is reasonable to assert it as a generalization.
Sorry for the pedantry at the end but I think it is necessary just to be perfectly clear.
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I would agree. Many people have no ability to understand or apply logic. Their opinions are formed based on submission to trusted authorities and appeals to emotion.
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BTW, it’s nice to have you back, Barbara!
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TS00 wrote (26th June 2023):
(The phrase “And for some of those many people,” in brackets was added by me.)
That.
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