Level 3: opinions – now we are starting to get to know the real person. They no longer simply tell us that they’ve been to see a concert
with their teenage son or daughter. Now they tell us how it felt. It
could go something like this:
“I went to see the latest band last night.”
“I didn’t know you liked that sort of music!”
“Me! No way! Absolute rubbish! A complete waste of £50.”
“So why did you go?”
“My daughter had to see them and so I had to take her and her
latest awful boyfriend. Cost me a whacking £150! Plus the parking…and all I wanted to do was watch the telly with my feet up.
Kids! If only they’d think of others for a change.”
We may not like what we hear, but at least we are starting to get to
know the real person. It is a level many are very comfortable at operating at. We all like to share our opinions, especially about things we
have little or nothing to do with, (which is an opinion in itself!) Opinions are fun. We often choose or lose our friends based upon our
opinions. Racism, sexism and our views on all manner of topics live
at this level. This is a comfortable level for many of us to live at on a
day to day basis with our colleagues and friends.
Exercise: talk to a partner only using opinions, about anything and
everything. See how long you can go before you get exhausted!
Some people talk in this way most of the time.
Discuss with a friend: when do you talk about your opinions most in
a week?
Exercise: find someone who you only share facts with and see if you
can introduce some opinions into the conversation using questions
such as, “What do you think about that?” and “Do you think that’s a
good idea?”
Blob YMCA Training Manual
Growth does not reside in a place called comfortable