have no idea
… 
and so what.
Now and then I am asked about my opinion(s) on this and that subject that happens to be up front in media that day. More and more often my response is something like: “I have no idea, and can't see why I should”.
Usually I have pretty good ideas, but don't see the point in sharing them with people around me. Thus, I lie.
As I leave out that last part about sharing, people may think I am stupid or not interested in “important issues”. Neither is true I dare say, but whatever others think about me is alright – I have too many important issues on my mind to bother.
I have carefully built up my own opinions about most things
I have, or may, encounter in life, and usually have most facts about
them well sorted out too. As former scout leader it makes sense to be prepared…
I do however lack interest in presenting my opinions and conclusions in such toothless and politically correct ways that they can pass as confirmations of other people's own views, and getting their views confirmed is all too often the only reason people ask others for their opinions.
Thus, to me it makes sense to cut conversation based on sharing of opinions short at earliest opportunity, before others ask me to stop because I disturb them in their views. Most people are probably better off with their opinions and views left “as is”, at least until reality of life catches up with and overruns them.
one can always blame others…
Leaving people alone with their own opinions and views, may be both good and bad. Not everyone likes to take responsibility for their own choices in life, and may blame everyone else when things do not go the way they anticipated and/or wanted.
Especially those who tried to warn the losers beforehand but who were met with distrust and could not get through to them in time, may end up being heavily blamed when things go wrong. No use saying “I told you so” then, so better leave the nay-sayers alone so they can go on with their blame-game until they are happy with the meaningless destruction they cause.
The only reliable fact about history is that it repeats itself. For every generation
there will be loads of people acting as if they were newly lobotomized while they
repeat all the wrongs from previous generations, claiming that they promote
“new deals”.
Those of us who prefer to shape our own opinions, will therefore always have plenty
of nonsense to watch. But, of course, none of it is for free.
forget I ever happened…
Having chosen to take responsibility for my own choices, there are clear
limits to how much responsibility and how heavy burdens I am willing to
take on for others.
Apart from wishing them all the luck in the world, I see no point
in sharing much of anything with those who for one reason or another choose not to
pay proper attention to what the routes they follow through life leads to. Doesn't
really matter if they are, or once were, close to me.
In this lies also that I prefer not to watch others go wrong and pay heavily for their bad choices. Thus, if I am not able to stay in a position where I can watch over, guide and support them – mainly because they don't want the disturbance I represent with my views and opinions, I rather not watch them at all, not even from a distance.
Can be hard to literally say goodbye to people who choose to go towards destruction of what they may carry of human values, knowing that they inevitably will regret their choices one day when it probably is too late to righten anything. Can't be helped I'm afraid, so why bother thinking about it, and them. It will die off eventually, as will we all…
Written and documented history says only what the authors want it
to say, and usually not in a very complete or trustworthy way. I prefer
not to write my own, as it is (in my opinion) best if those who survive the official
versions of history forget I ever happened…
and so it goes…
Most of us will sooner or later run into issues based on differences in opinions, and all the nonsense that often follows when people disagree. Whether we like it or not makes no difference, it is part of what at least some of us call “life”.
Those who don't like to deal with such issues, can always find ways to avoid it altogether – or at least they can pretend that they do.
Writing small pieces around these things to get them out of my system for a while, works wonders for me. Others will have to find out what works for them whenever they encounter similar issues.
sincerely 
Hageland 29.jun.2014
03.jul.2015 - very minor editing
last rev: 29.jun.2014