Holding Opinions

 

If there is one thing I've learned over the years is that if someone holds an opinion, it's a good idea to be able to 'defend' your position.

Over the years I've had to 'defend' (explain) the reasons why I hold my opinions about a variety of things.

The first was in teaching.  When I showed people a particular technique, I had to explain why the students might want to consider learning a new technique - that investing the time to become proficient was going to be worth their while.  If they were interested in the particular benefit of using that technique, of course.  Not everyone was (or is).  And that is their choice.

When I started teaching at conferences I would sometimes be asked to jury exhibits.  There was more than one where I was approached by someone asking me why I had - or had not - given a ribbon or prize to a particular exhibit.  I always respectfully explained my reasoning.

I even overheard someone questioning why on earth a piece I entered in a juried exhibit got 2nd prize.  In their estimation my cloth wasn't worthy.  While the comment stung, they weren't the juror, and I happily cashed the prize cheque, secure in the knowledge that the juror (a 'name' in textile design) had seen my cloth to be worthy.

One of the things about posting videos to You Tube is that not everyone will comment on the site, but from time to time I will become aware that people are viewing my videos and not everyone sees benefit to what I'm doing.  

Sometimes I ignore the discussion.  Sometimes, I comment.  If I comment it is usually in response to a direct questioning of why I bother doing x, y or z.  If people are going to poo-poo what I do, I feel I have the right (when I want to) to respond and answer their question.

Right now I'm about to launch another book with *opinions* galore.  Part of me is wondering how many people will question what I'm doing and why.

What I *hope* is that people will ask me directly, not make suppositions about why I am doing something they think is pointless.  If they ask me directly, I will tell them - for free - exactly why I do the thing they think is useless.  It's not like I'm hard to find, or anything.  :D

For them it may remain useless if it doesn't appear that doing it 'my' way is going to be of any substantive benefit to them.

But don't just question my decisions behind my back.  Got a question?  Ask me.

In fact, come to my Zoom book launch and 'ask me anything' on July 9.   Here's the link.  Share it freely.