Rantings
What you see is not always what you get.
Speaking one's mind is everybody's right. No one can and should tell you what and what not to say. This is the use of our free will and living would be completely insignificant if we deny ourselves the natural right to opinion.
We all have different points of view. All are equal and should be respected with the same degree.
This right, however, should always come in pair with a regulator. One should always examine the situation before actually commenting. This is where opinions differ. Some people just lash out without thoroughly thinking everything through. They just say what they want to say without realizing the consequences of their actions. They usually end up hurting not only the persons involved, but they themselves. They are too frank and too straightforward.
Others are too weak. These persons think. Yes, they can weigh the different sides of the story but they never really decide which side they are on. They'd rather agree on everything. They may point out and throw in a few points to further the cause but in the end, they really had no say. They just copied what others thought. I am not saying this is not a good thing. They might have been thinking of the same thing but has only actualized it after being exposed to others' ideas.
Others are perfect. I am not pertaining to never-wrong-always-right decision makers. I am speaking of the people who know how to decide all by themselves and are willing to make adjustments after a few effective outside influences. They may never be right, but at least they could be proud about being the one making the error and learning from it.
Nothing beats first-hand experience.
So who is who? I think I am a weak thinker. I usually agree on everything someone tells me. (Of course, only from those I look up to) I love establishing my beliefs based on what is effective for others. But then again, I still think I do have my own opinions for some things. So I could be a mix of the last two. I could also be too frank. That side of me, however, has been buried ages ago. She may haunt me once in a blue moon when I'm with my closest friends but that's the worst she can do.
I still think that the becoming of a young adult is the consequence of the parents' guidance - or lack thereof.
Ergo, I believe that a child's ability to establish his/her own beliefs is greatly, if not entirely, affected by how the parents brought him/her up.
I'm still confused. Did my parents do a good job?
