Opinions are like...

My name is Robert Paulson and I’ve lived in Nottingham City for the past 8 years of my life. I love the city so much; it’s treated me amazingly and taught me so many lessons. But as I get older I can’t but help feel a little more disappointed. I can’t help but feel like the dream of my own personal utopia is hurrying away into the distance. In fact, it’s got my girlfriend on its arm and it’s just raided my bank account.
I can’t quite put my finger on it. There are so many differing variables to a hotpot of modern civilisation that it’s almost untrue. There are so many races, cultures and classes in the same few square miles. I can’t quite work out why problems and unhappiness are rising. Maybe I’m getting older. Maybe it’s the recession. Maybe I should stop blaming other things...

That’s it isn’t it? I have been putting the world to rights for far too much. That’s why I’m unhappy: Blaming other things.

I generally form my opinions from other people, whether they are in my life or at the end of the big wet media stick. I have a lot of friends and generally read a lot of media. This has helped me form an opinion which can be argued left or right, up or down on any subject matter. Depending on whether I’m un-sober, hung-over or going to meet my mum for a coffee, it can go any way.

But what do I do with these little nuggets of wisdom, these words in my mind that dictate how I think the world should be? I dictate them to other people. I tell people how they should live there life.

‘You’re doing this wrong...’
‘That could be better...’
‘The problem is...’

I’ve noticed that when I give my opinion it makes me unhappy, because generally it’s pretty damned negative. It is the British disposition to have a good moan. But as a backlash to giving negative output, I get lots of negative input. Bad things, about bad thoughts, about bad stuff, about what’s going on? (That’s Karma for you, but that’s for another day.)

I try to talk to people about how to make things better, but if they don’t already agree - they argue. If they already agree, then I’m preachy to the ‘converted’. If they argue - nothing is gained. Nothing is ever gained in negativity, except for the birth of the positive.

*If you’re keeping up – you’ll notice contradiction. But of course you’re keeping up, I just wanted an excuse to show you I know I’m a typing contradiction.*

But my motivation is sound; I want things to be better. I tell people things because I want their life to be covered in sprinkles. More than it is already. I’m sure that’s why you say you’re opinions too. But they don’t, do they? Apart from telling my close friend to ‘whatever is necessary to make life better’ my words do no fucking good. They make people angry in fact. And I think I know why...

You’re close friends accept your wisdom because you have earnt their trust. When someone who has no idea about your situation, apart from a little second hand information, starts advising you whilst getting facts wrong and drawing on preconceptions, you automatically recoil in whichever way your squishy brain likes. They’re not qualified to give you the advice. They don’t know every side of the story. So why should you take it in?

You shouldn’t.

In fact, the arrogance to have not gained the trust of the person your opinions fall to, or even the resemblance of trust, is actually quite rude. People won’t take in your point of view on their life – if you haven’t walked a mile in their shoes

But hold on – if no one had an opinion then bad people in the world would be given free rein to do as they like – surely we have to keep everyone in check? Who’s going tell Hitler off? Who will bring Bush to justice? How is society ever going to get better if we don’t discuss the problems?

The answer, ladies and gentlemen, is ACTION. Not fucking words, as powerful as they are. But god damned hardworking action. POSITIVE ACTION. Please allow me to bring my words into a slightly more ‘real-life’ context.

Imagine if you will the political party ‘ABC’ – who don’t like immigration because they feel there are too many problems in the country and letting more people in isn’t solving anything. They suffer from, what is commonly known as thanks to South Park - ‘They Took Our Job’ syndrome.
And on the opposite side – the ‘Super Justice Squad’ (let’s call them the SJS from here...). They hate racism in every form, but also think there are lots of problems in this country.
Let’s point out here, 99% of both parties are generally working/middle class and white.

ABC holds a protest march against immigration by acting conventionally ‘racist’ in the city and lots of ‘minorities’ become scared for a few days. SJS however, protests against them to minimise the mess.

From a top down, unbiased point of view - It looks very much like two small sub-cultures, tribes or races if you will, are fighting it out between each other. Neither side agrees with each other’s opinion (?) and so have taken to the streets. If that isn’t racism and intolerance in a fucking nutshell I don’t know what is. Remember me saying something about both sides being predominantly the same?

Now let’s look at the motivation. ABC believes there aren’t enough jobs &resources. The system is straining, health care is getting shitter, and those fucking ‘umyumygumgums’ took our jobs.
SJS believes there aren’t enough jobs &resources. The system is straining, health care is getting shitter, and those fucking ABC cunts are racist.

Wait... hold on a minute...

Laughable. Depressing. Motivating. Upsetting.

So the ABC haven’t realised how nice polish bread is and that the curry they eat is the product of another country... They haven’t worked out that if you’re on ‘our’ soil your bettering ‘our’ land and you are one of use. As long as you’re working, of course.
So the SJS haven’t realised that they are racist, and that racism isn’t about country, colour or creed. It’s about groups being intolerant to each other’s differences.

So they both haven’t realised that everyone is getting on with life except them. And no one is listening to the real arguments and opinions both sides have because they have a big petty squabble going on. Big petty squabbles are generally seen as a problem and are solved with riot police. I’m 99% sure the boys in blue don’t listen to politics, they just keep the peace.

But below all the silliness – both sides are British people who want this country to be better. They have valid points about problems in their (and the countries) lives. They both want to be able to take their dear old mums to hospital if she slips and breaks her hip. They both want to be able to go to work so there children can have new Play station games. They both want the earth to be treated better, their power to be morally sound, and their water clean and safe.

Everyone wants a better life.

But no one will hand it out on a plate.

So how do we get it?

Positive action.

There are a million problems and a million solutions. They are all very simple. All they take is action to solve them, not words. As long as the solution to your problem is positive and will make people happy you’re onto a winner. If it involves giving your opinion away in a negative fashion to someone who isn’t going to listen – maybe re-think your game plan.

Fair enough: we will never all hold hands. I’m no hippy. But we can all be happy.

And all it takes to make the system better is throwing the positive action out there. If you look at your ‘enemies’ problem, and then it’s cause, and then help make it better, soon enough your enemy will become your friend. Together you can then tackle the much bigger issues you both have together. One by one the problems will go.

But don’t blame other people if you’re unhappy or if you have a problem; don’t have a go at the government or the sub-culture to your left, don’t tell me the systems shit. You’re the fucking system. Can’t you see that? If something isn’t right it’s your fault – because you haven’t made it better yet. And don’t tell me you want out either... because you’re sat on the internet right now. If you wanted out you’d be skinning squirrels in a park somewhere. The system has and will save your life a million times over.

So go on, try it... Make the problems go away. Throw some love and niceness at people and watch your world unravel. Bake some cakes and give them away, start an ethical farm, make your own power. Create jobs... pay for the NHS. Give something back and people might start listening to you.


Opinions are like shit... We all have them, and they usually smell bad.





(I’m sure you want to comment... either with niceness or bad. Please don’t tell me either. I’m a walking contradiction, or a hypocrite, or negative. I know I am. My name is Robert Paulson. I have my own petty politics. I can’t always live by my own words. It’s simply not human nature. But I try and strive to put other people’s happiness before my own and try to make things better – and that’s all any of us can really do)