In Japan, many people seem to be scared to express their opinions frankly. You don’t often hear simple statements like, “That’s not good” or “I disagree”. When looking at social media, there aren’t many people clearly expressing their thoughts with statements starting with, “I think”. Instead, we see posts that start with statements like, “This is because that’s how the world works”, “Many people say this” or “This is common sense”. Many people act like they’re talking about universal common sense rather than their own opinions.

This may be, in essence, the psychology of “not wanting to take responsibility for their own opinions” at work. For example, using the argument that “everyone says so, so they must be right” is very irresponsible and makes the listener think, “So what”? Also, by saying “This is how the world works” you may be treating the other person's opinion as if it is out of line.

However, why don't we just express our opinions frankly? If we just honestly say we don’t like something or that we don’t agree with something, people will understand. If they ask, “Why don’t you agree?”, then you can tell them what you think. On the other hand, saying “because it’s common sense” makes it sound like you’re simply trying to pick a fight with the other person.

Communication is never easy. However, I think it is important to express your own feelings honestly, rather than using “common sense” as a shield against your opinion. Have you ever heard the saying, “If everyone jumped off a cliff, would you jump, too”? In the same way, I think we should question whether it’s valid to form our opinions simply by accepting the world as it is.