Seeking a Qualification (Mature Student)

[Speicher]

I first of all added this to the thread about People's qualifications, but realised it would take the topic too far off topic.

There is a qualification I was hoping to obtain, but courses on this subject are very difficult for me to find. Any way, I have tried taking it in the form of modules, but in my case at least, no one takes any notice. At my age I thought I would have gained this qualification by default, but anyone younger or older than me, seems to think not.

I am referring to a Qualification That Would Allow Me To Express A Personal Opinion Without People Arguing With Me. My experience in this field so far is that I have been on this planet enough years to know what I like. I am very happy for people to suggest an alternative to my preferences, and I would be very happy to try them. But why am I being told by many people "You Must Do xyz", or "You Cannot Possibly Even Think About Doing ABC".

This is particularly vexing when the person's suggestion is, IMHO, quite ludicrous, but I have been too polite to say so. I would add that I refer to Personal Opinions, like where to go on holiday, when to go on holiday, which wine I like to drink, which foods I do not particularly like.

Perhaps on occasions I have given the wrong impression by refusing to be drawn into an argument, and that makes people even more determined that their preferences are Absolutely The Correct Ones. Does any one have any experience of not having the Qualification to which I refer?

 

[Aperitif]

I hereby award you...

"Speicher"

"The Certificate of Living Competence"
Non- transferrable (to another life)

Eternal accreditation with the World Understanding Society*.

*Not recognised by the 'Significant Others Order of Friends' - with few exceptions.


Signed

Dr Illusioned

Coarse Leader (non u dept.)
:?::8:

 

[TheDoctor]

Well, don't take any advice on qualifications from Bonj!
I'd suggest an OU degree. They're modular, so you can do a wide range of subjects and then when some one pipes up you can say ' When I studied (random subject) on my degree yadda yadda'.
Works for me. I've so far claimed expertise in genetics, wine and alcohol in general, and the mechanics of the Rover K series engine.

Who's been winding you up then Speicher? *fervently hopes was not self*
We'll get them for you.
Cost you some biscuits.
*enrols Chuffers, Landslide and baseball bats*

 

[TheDoctor]

The problem is Speicher, that too many people on here already have the "If I want Your Opinion, I'll Give It To You" qualification. They are very difficult to trump I am afraid. I think Bonj has a Phd in it actually

No. You are completely wrong.

 

[LLB]

I have this regularly with my kids. How come I've been on the planet zxy number of years but teenagers always know better irrespective of the subject

 

[Dayvo]

The trouble is that bonj has the 'everyone's entitled to my opinion' attitude!

 

[Speicher]

OOOOPpppsss
Must step in with a "correction" here. It IS NOT people on here that have been saying such Bossy things, not to me anyway.

It is mostly my younger relatives, sisters in law, and vague acquaintances.
They all seem to think that ONLY their opinion is valid. For instance, I was criticised for choosing to go to Scandinavia (again, but a different part) by someone who said, "But there is nothing there".
Had they been there, NO,
Where were they going for their holidays -- New York, for two weeks, in August. Not America in general, just New York. Why can they not accept that we are all different.

 

[TheDoctor]

OOOOPpppsss
Must step in with a "correction" here. It IS NOT people on here that have been saying such Bossy things, not to me anyway.

It is mostly my younger relatives, sisters in law, and vague acquaintances.
They all seem to think that ONLY their opinion is valid. For instance, I was criticised for choosing to go to Scandinavia (again, but a different part) by someone who said, "But there is nothing there".
Had they been there, NO,
Where were they going for their holidays -- New York, for two weeks, in August. Not America in general, just New York. Why can they not accept that we are all different.

Well, there isn't anything there. It's just woods, lakes and the odd mountain. And alcohol costs an arm and a leg. Totally pointless place.
[/devils advocaat]

*quite fancies going himself*

 

[andharwheel]

As I have got older i have cared less and less about what people think of me. I am more comfortable in who I am; and I am certainly not shy in expressing an opinion. Just do your own thing and be confident in the fact that what you are doing is the right thing for you; nobody else.

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

Ok I am going to get all serious now for a minute...apologies...

I forgot to add on my qualifications a whole load of stuff I went through in occupational training..some good some aweful...to me they were mostly just corporate Bullshit programmes, but one of them was absolutly brilliant:

http://www.sheppardmoscow.com/open-programmes/positive-power-and-influence.asp

This course "positive influencing" was very good, and I got some kind of 'qualification' for passing the course...but that bit is irrelevant. It was a real eye opener in getting what you want and convincing people to do what you want without them knowing for the most part.
Part of the course used something called a wheel of influence...push/pull energy and associated language and body language etc.

I have been on several similar courses but this one was the mutz nutz.

 

[Speicher]

Well, there isn't anything there. It's just woods, lakes and the odd mountain. And alcohol costs an arm and a leg. Totally pointless place.
[/devils advocaat]

*quite fancies going himself*

Yes, its woods, lakes, rivers, lakes (very very large ones) trees, hills I think rather than mountains, lots of fresh air, very little traffic, nice people, integrated transport , boats, The Maritime Museum, Gothenburg,
boats, lakes, rivers, trees.

 

[TheDoctor]

When are you going? And can I come?
There's a wicker basket in it for you.

Surely no-one could turn down such an offer?

 

[djmc]

It's a philosophical problem. If someone says 'I know the moon is made of green cheese' then the claim to knowledge can be rejected if the statement to which the knowledge refers is false. Thus if it is actually made of cheddar then it is false to say you know that it is made of gorgonzola.

Claims of belief on the other hand do not imply that to say that a belief is false is to say that someone does not believe it. I can say 'Fred believes the moon is made of green cheese' and 'the moon is actually made of cheddar'. However I would not say 'I believe that the moon is made of green cheese, but it is not the case it is actually made of cheddar'.

The upshot of all this is to say that however illogical or stupid peoples opinions are it is very difficult to get them to change since they believe that what they think ie their belief is in fact the truth.

 

[Kirstie]

OOOOPpppsss
Must step in with a "correction" here. It IS NOT people on here that have been saying such Bossy things, not to me anyway.

It is mostly my younger relatives, sisters in law, and vague acquaintances.
They all seem to think that ONLY their opinion is valid. For instance, I was criticised for choosing to go to Scandinavia (again, but a different part) by someone who said, "But there is nothing there".
Had they been there, NO,
Where were they going for their holidays -- New York, for two weeks, in August. Not America in general, just New York. Why can they not accept that we are all different.

Aaah what it is you need is the 'diploma in the shooting of irritating tw*ts' (DipSHIT). I should know. I work for the OU. It's done on an accreditation basis, so the bigger the portfolio of tw*ts you have shot, the more likely you'll pass the diploma. When putting together your portfolio, record the age and gender of the tw*t, what you shot them for, and how you shot them. You get marks for planning, method and execution [sic]. Then write a 1000 word synthesis of how you meet the requirements of the course, and a reflective account of your development as an effective tw*t shooter, and there you are - qualified.

 

[Crackle]

Aaah what it is you need is the 'diploma in the shooting of irritating tw*ts' (DipSHIT). I should know. I work for the OU. It's done on an accreditation basis, so the bigger the portfolio of tw*ts you have shot, the more likely you'll pass the diploma. When putting together your portfolio, record the age and gender of the tw*t, what you shot them for, and how you shot them. You get marks for planning, method and execution [sic]. Then write a 1000 word synthesis of how you meet the requirements of the course, and a reflective account of your development as an effective tw*t shooter, and there you are - qualified.

That is extremely good and very amusing. Would you mind awfully if I forwarded that to someone in need who also happens to have a gun?

PS who awards the diploma?