The Importance of Multiple Opinions

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Saddened, I starred at my grade for Algebra 1 Honors. That year I had gotten a B average throughout all 4 quarters. That night I spent hours pondering over the different mathematics courses I could take the next year. I could either retake Algebra 1 Honors, or move up to Geometry honors. Despite the time I took weighing the two options, I was unable to reach a decision and I decided to consult with my family and friends. When I asked my friends, many of them had different reasons and exposed me to several outlooks. My mom and dad were also split down the middle. My mom believed that I should retake the course to improve my grade point average for high school, while my dad argued that the the one low grade wouldn't effect me that much because there are many other courses in high school. Finally, I asked my uncle, a wise and intelligent man, what he believed was the proper course of action. Talking with my uncle helped me figure out the right decision which was to move on to Geometry Honors

The lessons I learned from this experience truly showed me the importance of seeking multiple opinions Seeking multiple opinions can allow anyone to see separate outlooks on situations, lowers bias in the final decision, and can lead people to reach a decision quicker.

Seeking separate outlooks on situations is one of the most important actions to take when making an important decision. Throughout peoples lives, everyone has had different experiences that shaped who they are today and the choices the make. Every single decision that people make is in someway decided by there past experiences, because those experiences are what led them to an understanding of right and wrong. This leads to people having differing opinions on topics. Talking to these people is crucial because it can allow people to see both sides of the situation, and the reasons that lead them to their decision. When those reasons are taken into account a balanced conclusion can be achieved, despite the differing opinions.

Another reason why seeking multiple opinions is important is because it will lower bias in your final decision. For example, if someone talked to just their group of friends, their friends may say things with the sole purpose of pleasing them, leading them to an unbalanced view. On the contrary, if someone talked to a group of people who didn't have their best interests at heart, it would also lead to an unbalanced view on the situation. For example, when I was talking to my peers about retaking Algebra 1 honors, those who had decided to move to Geometry Honors all told me that I should also move on. However, those who had decided to retake Algebra and those who were taking Algebra for the first time all told me to retake Algebra. When I asked why the later group why they wanted me to retake, most of them said that it was just so I could be in their classes. However, hearing the opinions from the former group of friends helped me see the bias, and thus effected my final decision.

The final reason why being exposed to differing opinions is important because it can help people reach a decision faster. When a person asks the people around them for an opinion, they are often bombarded with a plethora of different reasons. However, when they talk with one person in particular it is enough to allow them to finally make a decision. For me, this person was my uncle. My uncle helped me formulate the best course of action, which took into account all of the reasons I had been exposed to, as well as statistics pertaining to the importance of a high school grade point average. He told me anecdotes from back when he was in high school, and disproved the stigma that your grades define your success in high school. This final outlook was enough to make me decide to take Geometry Honors. Although one person finally tipped the scales, without asking all of the people prior I would not have came to the same conclusion.

Seeking a multitude of opinions when making a complex decision is crucial to making the right decision. This is because seeking different opinions exposes people to new ways of reasoning and outlooks, lowers the amount of bias, and can allow people to make a decision quicker with the aid of another person. However, many people say that seeking multiple opinions can confuse the person who is asking, and will result in more problems. This way of thinking is flawed. In most cases, the person will actually gain a sense of understanding about the topic and acquire new knowledge, allowing them to make an informed and thoughtful decision. Being exposed to several opinions can allow anyone to make an informed decision, which takes into account a plethora of reasons and results in a conclusion that positively effects their future. 