(while at a meeting, a topic comes up that you feel very strongly about.
Unfortunately, most of the other people there feel very differently from
you, and have made themselves vocal early.)

(do you voice your dissent?)

16 responses total.

 hell yes. Dissent is what made this country great. Are we just mice, or sheep
to be lead around by our feelings rather than our convictionsDissent
may make you an outcast, but at least you don't sacrifce your convictions
for mere friendships.

I might try not to, but I really couldn't hold it in (I'm assuming this is
not a political meeting where I might sacrafice some big political gain
for some petty point).  I am very opinionated, and do not hide that.

yes, definately.  this happens to me all the time.

This response has been erased.

among my friends, phrasing gently isn't necessary, and among those not my
friends, i wouldn't bother.  i'd try to win the ensuing argument.  (i love
a good argument!  :)  :)  :)  )

Yeah, I guess it would depend on my relationship to the other participants.
If I thought the topic was going to come up again, I know it would be a
mistake NOT to voice my opinion, since I would have a lot of regret and
resentment.  OTOH, there are a myriad of situations in which the best
thing to do is just shut up.

(hell no! "A closed mouth receives no feet" or something like that.)

depends entirely on how eloquent I felt.  If I could make a good showing
for my case, yes.  If I was feeling tongue tied that evening, no.  Better
top save it for another time.

"gathers", Carson, after the rolling stone and the moss.

I think I'd just listen for a while. Eventually, I'm sure that would end.

What Misti said.

Hell yeah!   I'd voice my opinion with my full heart and tongue!   I
take pride in what I believe, so I want to tell about it!  Plus, I 
like a good argument.

yes i never miss a change for a good argument

Probably not.  There are cases where I would/have/do, but mostly I *hate*
doing it, find it excruciatingly painful, don't do it well; so I usually
chicken out.  I'm ashamed of this, & am not defending it - it's wrong, cut
& dried - but it's true none the less.

(Before anyone jumps on me for side issues: I'm *not* saying that keeping
quiet is *always* wrong.  I'm saying that I often do so when someone needs
to speak up & I seem to be the only one in a position to do so.)

I would (and do) think carefully before I answer, and then I usually answer.
In those cases, I think my point needs to be made, but I wonder if I can do
it effectively.  I wonder if I shouldn't keep quiet and let another person 
answer it, in a more effective way than I would.  Sometimes this works, and
sometimes it doesn't.

I would voice my opinion

I would throw all co-workers that didn't agree with me out the nearest window.

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