Opinions

It struck me recently that our world has suddenly become one of opinions more than it ever has been in the past. If you look through history, the people who had the power of opinion were those with access to the written word, be it through the press, or as a mass of agreement through letter writing protests or complaints. Don’t like that Lucy and Ricky sleep in the same bed? Write in to CBS! Did your new Electrolux eat your three-year-old dachshund? Write in to complain to Electrolux! There are stories of people actually changing the mind of a president by writing him a compassionate, moving letter.

The world changed slightly, in that respect, with the wide-spread adoption of the telephone. Now that you could light up a switchboard, the need to spend the time writing a letter seemed pointless.

Now we have the Internet. The vast, sometimes unnavigable, web of information (and disinformation) has the power to move mountains. Or so we think.

As the Internet has grown, we’ve seen the growth of “grassroots” campaigns. You can find a ton of online petitions and movements, from the absurd to the heartfelt. Most online petitions and organizations are pointless and completely powerless. But, there are times when an online movement is powerful and effective. Howard Dean would be nothing without his embrace of technology.

Even more impressive was the fight to save Farscape, a critically-acclaimed, popular television show on the Sci-Fi network. After its cancellation, fans of the show banded together as Save Farscape to let the Powers That Be know that they wanted more Farscape. Not only were they willing to work for what they believed in, they were willing to spend their own money on advertising to let the world know that “I Am Farscape.” And they’ve succeeded. Farscape is currently in production on a mini-series to air sometime next year. Good for Save Farscape.

But they didn’t stop there. They worked together to provide charities that collect DVDs for a variety of reasons with Farscape DVDs. As of this date they are donating Farscape DVDs to local libraries and the US Navy’s recreation program. Rather than just be another Internet group with a single-minded goal, they are spreading their love of their beloved show in charitable ways.

Sharing of opinions spreads far beyond filling out petitions. Every person with an Internet account is now empowered to provide their opinion to anyone willing to read it. Any product on Amazon, BestBuy.com, Barnes & Noble, etc. is up for your criticism. Didn’t like your DVD player, let people who might buy it know. Didn’t like the movie you saw last week? Surf on over to the IMDB and post your opinion. Can’t find a place to voice your opinion about some specific concept? Go to e-opinions and let your feelings be known.

There was once a time when our opinions about products and services were based on television commercials, word of mouth from friends and, if you were lucky, Consumer Reports. Movies were reviewed by men who were provided with passes before it came out, and they were always hoity toity. And that guy who reviewed your favorite album didn’t know what he was talking about. Why, if you had written that review, you’d do it right. Now you can. Whether you’re a professor of English literature or some half-wit, mono-syllabic moron who broke his DVD player when taking it out of the box and taking his poorly constructed, rambling rage out on the manufacturer?

Now you don’t need your neighbor to tell you about his TV. Jean, from Poughkeepsie can let you know. Or you can go by the average user rating on Cnet, Amazon or any other website.

It’s incredibly empowering for the consumer. Now, if you love or hate a product, you don’t have to settle for simply telling the maker of your feelings. You can pass along your feeling directly to the consumer. It’s almost as good as standing next to the product in the store with a megaphone. Hate it or loathe it, you can shout you feelings to the mountain top.

But there is a danger with so much power. Are we doing our fellow consumers a favor to share our opinions, which in some cases may be biased or rash? Or are we doing some harm?

As John Lennon once said, “Everybody’s talking and no one says a word.”

Are we becoming a large group of voices that is quickly becoming background noise? Or are we really making an impact on the marketplace? Does that online form we fill out to give feedback really work? Do our emails reach the right people? Does my review of Joe Versus the Volcano on Netflix really make a difference? Will people see the movie in a different light?

Or are there too many voices all shouting at the same time? Have we just become crowd noise? Does anything rise above the din of public opinion?

It’s hard to tell. But one thing is certain; when given the opportunity to express an opinion, the public is willing to take the offer. And voice it they will. For better or worse, right or wrong, they will give you their two cents. Whether it’s to get Scott Baio back on television, laud the merits of a Tivo or get justice for a victim of a crime, they will let you know.

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