I have an opinion that many people will disagree with: we (as a society) have too many opinions. We live in a world where sharing everything—from what we had to eat for breakfast to what kind of underwear we're wearing—is normal, and everyone has the opportunity to comment on it. We are more connected than ever. And as great as this is, I keep going back to the point that it is also a terrible thing. Don't get me wrong, I love social media and posting my own content (thus the reason why I write for the Odyssey) but sometimes I get so fed up with the need for everyone to either have to validate their opinion with someone else's or contradict someone just for the hell of it. No matter how neutral a post may seem, someone—somewhere—will find a way to take offense to it. Most of the time, this is simply because they have the right to a differing opinion. Why have we made it socially acceptable to hate things just because we can? Why not--get this, this'll blow your mind—just let something be? Why is there such an incessant need to prove a point? Why do people get offended so easily nowadays? Has over-sharing made us hypersensitive? I think so.

According to the online Merriam-Webster Dictionary, hypersensitive is defined as "having feelings that are very easily hurt," or "excessively or abnormally sensitive." I think our society has become hypersensitive about a great deal. This is good in the sense that we want equality, we want social justice, and expressing our disgust with, say, a political viewpoint, is okay to do. An argument will happen, and that's normal and fine. The problem comes when two people are arguing without respect for the other's opinion. Because we are human, we are bound to have differing opinions, and our opinions matter, but only to ourselves. When we try to force our opinion down someone's throat, chaos erupts. We are hypersensitive, and it's ruining our society.

Each person is entitled to his or her own opinion, but that does not mean we necessarily have to share it. In my honest opinion, people should keep their opinions to themselves. By this I mean people should keep comments intended to hurt others, or comments intended to start arguments, to themselves. Because we live in a digital age, we have the ability to connect to thousands of people via social media. But engaging in a platform that stirs up arguments for the sake of arguing--without acknowledging the fact that others can have their own opinion—is harmful to our society and to ourselves.

Unless someone does something blatantly malicious, that is considered discriminatory, racist, sexual harassment, etc., firing back your opinion to the original comment is not really necessary. Pointing out an obvious wrongdoing is fine, trying to explain a different perspective is often helpful. But attacking someone because what they say is not what you agree with is unnecessary. Most actions are not offensive, and commenting an opinion could just cause a ruckus for no reason. Why be a problem just for the hell of it? It's not necessary. Just let it go.

I'm not saying don't post your opinions on social media—I can't stop you from doing what you want. I'm saying that we as a society need to stop taking other people's opinions so personally, because it's just an opinion, and it's not worth the stress. But that's just my opinion.