Last week in one of my English classes, we were discussing the play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, and I simultaneously wanted to go on and on about how much I loved it while also wishing fervently that we would stop discussing it. The problem was that some people in the class were not as thrilled by it and, exercising their rights as Americans and decent people, expressed their concerns and reservations.Most of the time in English classes, I don’t have as strong a reaction to discussions because I’m able to look at texts primarily through an academic lens, and we rarely read books that I’ve formed a strong emotional attachment to outside of class. What was different with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern is that a few years ago I had a wonderful experience stage managing a production of the play and in the process grew attached to the script and characters. Hearing that people didn’t like the play text caused a sinking feeling reserved for when someone doesn’t like something you do.In many situations for me, encountering an opinion opposing my own positive one prompts a somewhat involuntary train of thought that can end with me doubting (to various degrees) my own perceptions. “Well, opinions can’t be wrong,” I think, “and I’m sure this person has valid reasons backing up what they believe.” The seed of doubt is planted and blossoms into a flower of mild dissatisfaction. I don’t mean to say I completely change my thinking, it’s just that in wanting to respect the other person’s opinion I take on, in some small part, what they think.
Most of the time I can prevent my reaction from completely coloring my enjoyment of a thing, which is good because it’s not feasible to expect everyone’s thinking to be in line with one’s own. As I’ve grown up, (matured, even?) I’ve realized, however, that it’s also not feasible or necessary to try and contort my own feelings to mirror other people’s. My opinions are also valid, and views contrary to my own do not negate them. I’m working on being able to compartmentalize academic views from personal views, and for the most part I think I’m able to succeed, there are just those few stray instances that break mental barriers.I will say that I think setting one’s opinion against another’s can hone one’s stance and make it stronger. There’s value to debate, and important points can be brought up and acknowledged by both sides, which makes for a more productive discourse. However, in cases like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, for me, sometimes it’s nice not to have to defend one’s feelings. Some things are so connected to a certain place and time that experiencing them in new contexts loses some of the magic of the original experience.Trying to always retain that magic is impossible since nothing ever pleases everyone to the same degree, and one’s own feelings change naturally over time. Nonetheless, I do think it’s nice to not overanalyze special things and to acknowledge that some opinions one holds might be slightly too much, and that’s okay.