The problem with opinions is that most people couldn't tell you why they hold that particular opinion. I said most people. If you don't know why, then you're just blabbering. That was something I learned in college. I had two professors in particular who drove that point home. Not incidentally they are the two teachers who influenced me the most, and educated me the most.

One professor taught me to know why you think what you think. Not as easy as it sounds I don't run on about my feelings. I espouse thoughts. Rational, critical thinking doesn't seem to be around much anymore. That's a shame because we sure could use some right now.

The other taught me that you can be right for the wrong reason. Whether or not you get the right answer doesn't matter if you don't know why you got it, or how you got there. An unprovable answer isn't much good to anyone.

College is not just taking in information. It is where you learn to think; to freely exchange ideas; and most importantly, you learn to educate yourself. I have taken the taken the time to educate myself on the issues I talk about. If you can't back up your position, then you shouldn't be in the discussion.

The lack of knowledge is very evident to me when I watch the talking heads on cable news shows. I won't mention names, but I often find myself laughing at the television. I hear positions taken that are misinformed and erroneous. Often when pressed on an issue to validate their stance they utter little more than a perfunctory, "because". The worst thing here is these are some of the sources for the public's news.

I heard a great line in a movie once. "Question everything". Sometimes you have to question your own beliefs to reaffirm them. You need to know that's what you believe, not just think so.