Why do people hate other's opinions?

That's a good question, profitbob. To really hate someone else's opinion, I think a person has to fear what that opinion means to his conception of the world. The real fanatic takes it a bit further; he makes his own personal jihad on conflicting opinions and the people who hold them.

Two thumbs up Dweller!!

dweller, you may be on to something there.  Fear is a great motivation, along with pain.  The truth hurts, as they say.  If the person dispensing information/reality brings fear and pain by dispelling someone's illusions, that could be a reason to hate them.

But that still doesn't touch on most of the cases.  Even when reality is not in the balance, just some moot point, like the use of the nickname "Nigger Jim" in the book Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, people seem to get fired up and want to start burning books.  People still aren't over hating Darwin for writing "The Origin of Species", and he was a 19th century scientist.

And these are two 19th century authors we are talking about that have people fired up to this day.  I find it hard to believe that these old books with even older ideas can cause the outbreaks of rage they do, especially considering how out-of-date or obsolete they have become in the 21st century.

Fear and pain are good reasons.  But they don't cover it all.  Or is it my perspective.  I love knowledge, but I am always ready to throw away old knowledge when something new comes along that makes more sense, or seems truer.  Is there some pain involved in throwing away old knowledge that I don't feel?  Does it hurt when the shackles of ignorance are removed?  I have always felt a little freer, myself.

Many people remark that the more you learn, the more you realize you don't know.  Is this paradox what drives the censors' fear, do you suppose?  Everytime they learn something new, or are exposed to new ideas, it opens up their world too much, and shows them how little they know, and how little control they have over the universe or life?

Hi profitbob, LOL, well it looks like the censors are at it again. Hey, maybe I've graduated from newbie and finally have my very own stalker. It's really kind of a compliment if I can get under the skin of the ignorant so easily (and so inadvertently!) Nevermind. If I can help someone out with useful information, or save some old person from being ripped off by an unscrupulous contractor (like you mentioned in another post) then I'm satisfied and happy. The thanks from the questioners is the goal here to me, not some arbitrary and easily-manipulated thumb count.

There's a guy on YouTube (g0at) who made a video quite a while ago wherein he suggested that everybody walks around with a "bubble", a kind of sum total of that person's thoughts and experiences. People like you, who seek out new knowledge and always try to expand the context of their understanding, have big bubbles that are always growing. And then there's the tiny bubble people, who latch onto one idea and stand guard against anything that threatens it. Maybe they're afraid that if they let in a big idea, their bubble will pop!

dweller, I like that bubble analogy. I got a chuckle from it. It is always great when a philosophy has a punch-line. If you know the title of the video you might post it to me sometime. I will watch it when I have time.

Good morning Bob....You made mention of my thumbs yesterday...Well I have had the good fortune to be on Yedda quite a few times when AOL has posed questions, and have been first or within the first 8 to answer. Those are the ones that most people coming from the article, on aol news see first. I have had qutie a few number one answers for no other reason than it was a conservative answer...Have a great day my friend and I am really sorry about all the trouble on Yedda, I hope it has ended..... Respestfully, George~

In my experience, those who get into heated debates or arguments are not exploring the horizons of truth, denying truth, or protecting their inscurities; but rather, are participating in a power stuggle using that medium of communication as their vessel.  Where you perceive contention is largely due to your own character, not your belief system.  Or so I think.

Awoken, that is an interesting idea, a power struggle. I can see that, given that the original question is almost always buried and never gets resolved, just forgotten in the heat of the struggle. But now I wonder, what is the goal of the struggle? If they are not protecting their ignorance/insecurities/worldview, what do they gain, and how do you determine success? Is it just the last voice left talking wins?