That’s something to ask yourself the next time you and your mate are arguing. So many times a little disagreement turns into this big over grown blowout. I find that most of the time it comes down to a difference of opinion and each party are trying to convince the other that their side is right. In the act of defending the fact that your opinion is right, something is said that sounds offensive. Something like, “What you’re saying is just stupid” and then you’re off to the races.
Before you get into the “my opinion is right yours is wrong” cycle, stop to think how important is this issue anyway, is the wrong opinion going to cause any of you any harm? If this keeps going along this same track will it hurt the relationship? What harm is going to do to just stop and say you have your opinion and I have mine and then talk about something else.
Measure the harm fighting for opinion is going to have on the relationship verses the physical, emotional or financial harm the wrong opinion is going to have on one or both parties. If the physical, emotional or financial harm out weighs the harm on the relationship and you truly feel your opinion is right then by all means fight for that opinion. However, if not harming the relationship carries the most weight and those other things are not affected or affected very little just let it go.
Lots of relationships are broken because some nasty things were said in a “matter of opinion” situation over an issue that didn’t matter. Make your relationship matter more than your opinion over some stupid little issue that doesn’t matter. And that says it all.
