"I like red more than I like blue."

"It's not that I don't like cheese on my hamburger, I just don't prefer it."

"Rap is just not my cup of tea."

These are all opinions, judgements made by a person based on their tastes, personality, and surroundings. They help a person form their identity. If you prefer red to blue, your friends might decorate your cake with red frosting. If your dad knows you do not like cheese on your hamburger, he won't add any. And if you know your cousin isn't a fan of rap music, you probably won't get him the Collection of Greatest Hits by Tupac.

These are all useful ways that opinions can really help a person understand your point of view.

But things have changed with the introduction of the internet and social media; that change has resulted in the changing of opinions themselves. With social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, it is no longer just those you care about and know who are seeing these opinions. It's everyone. And this has resulted in the biggest lie that social media tells its users:

That their opinion is going to make a difference.

You heard me. When you put your opinion out to the world, the world doesn't care. Your friends might care, but you aren't posting for your friends, you are posting for you. You are raising a gaudy light show with a large arrow pointing at yourself screaming, "THIS IS WHAT I THINK!"

It can be political, culinary, social, athletic, or something just as trivial. Regardless, most people will not care. And more often when people do care, is when they feel that your opinion is wrong and decide that you need to know that. So in response, they give their angry opinion.

And you will not care. Oh you'll care that they've made you angry by disagreeing with you, but not about their opinion. You won't think theirs over to see if it makes more sense than yours. No, you'll just shoot back an angry response, and the argument will continue.

Because let's face it, everyone thinks there is only one person allowed to be right on the internet and that is themselves. All other opinions are simply ignorant or malicious.

So I've found a sure-fire way to make my time on the internet more enjoyable: I keep major opinions to myself.

I'm open for talking about the small things like preferred ice cream flavor or favorite characters in movies, but nothing political or social. Why? For the reasons I just listed. The only people I'll bother with these opinions are those who are close to me, those for whom I would be willing to reexamine my opinions. As for sharing my opinions online, what good will that do me? Pleasure myself with the idea that a bunch of people agree with me or just get angry when people offer arguments against me?

I feel the internet would be a much less toxic place if we didn't broadcast all our opinions and expect a raucous applause or deluge of likes. Opinions like these are only helpful when they are told to someone who has the power to maybe change it, not someone on the other side of the screen.

But hey, that's just my opinion.