Fact Vs. Opinion... Do you know the difference??? A Rant!

The Phantom Menace is a great movie and it is 100% Star Wars. It is Star Wars as Star Wars should be. It fits into the storyline established by the Original Trilogy absolutely perfectly. Episode I, along with Episodes II and III, are equal to and enhance the Original Trilogy, just as Episodes IV - VI are equal to and enhance the Prequel Trilogy, and combined the two halves comprise the greatest cinematic achievement in film-making history. There is no cinematic equal to Star Wars on the big screen. Period. End of Story.

And this is 100% my opinion.

I state the obvious because it seems that most everyone I talk to about Star Wars simply have no grasp of the concept of "opinion". It is a very simple word, only three syllables, and if you say it enough times in a row you'll find that it has a nice rhythm to it. But sadly, most people I talk to have substituted the definition of the word "fact" with that of the word "opinion". Now, the point I'm getting to is that if you do not like The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith, then let me assure you I have no problem with that as you are entitled to your opinion and your thoughts on these movies are just that...opinion...your opinion...and your opinion is not fact, just as my opinion is not fact. When it comes to it, to state any film is good or bad as fact is impossible and if done so merely shows the ignorance of the person making the statement.

Now that we've established the difference between "fact" and "opinion" and also established that while I consider the Prequel Trilogy and the Star Wars Saga overall to be great, I bare no one any ill will whose opinion is opposite of mine. The problem is that, more often than not, I don't get the same courtesy in return. Too many times when Star Wars comes up in conversation and I state my admiration for the Prequels I am quickly informed, in long-winded fashion, just how terrible they are and given a laundry list of the same old criticisms used time after time. It is as if I've insulted them by daring to offer praise. A few have even argued that it is a fact that the Prequels are crap because others agree with them. Really all they're doing is confirming that they are as ignorant as they sound. Two agreeing opinions do not make a fact. On the flip side, I have had very good conversations (albeit very few) with people who have intelligently conveyed their opinions concerning their criticisms of the films as just that...their opinions. These people in turn, listen to my opinions and we might even go "point/counterpoint" over various differences in our opinions. But sadly, I've found that most people aren't interested in intelligent debate. Most people only seem interested in telling you that you're wrong, berating you for being wrong, and considering you an idiot if you don't agree with them. Somewhere in this Time of the Instant people have lost perspective. Any differing viewpoint is taken as an insult and people are so quickly put on the defensive that they respond by being offensive.

In closing, I'm going to paraphrase a saying my Dad used to say to me during my teenage years, adapted to fit the above rant. It goes something like this...

"You would rather sandpaper a lion's ass in a telephone booth than tell me again that George Lucas raped your childhood." ;-)