BP. agrees to sell its petrochemicals business to INEOS posted on Company News Board

[Dod101]

Gengulphus has got me there. What I should have said is that 'This is not and never was a good time to be buying BP' Still rather clumsy I suppose but at least it is what I meant to say. Most reading it would probably know that. That is a comment reflecting my views. It is certainly not a recommendation or advice for action.

I think someone who appears occasionally and says something to the effect that ' I would/would not advise.........' is promoting something more than simply comment or opinion, at least it could very easily be taken as something more. It also sounds somewhat as though the writer has some authority for making the statement. ...

'This is not and never was a good time to be buying BP' is worded as a statement of fact and sounds somewhat as though the writer is an authority on the matter and knows it to be a fact. But you very reasonably expect people to realise that you're merely expressing your opinion. I'd suggest extending the same courtesy to those who happen to use the word "advice" or "advise" when stating their opinions... Especially as it is normally in the nature of advice that it need not be taken - i.e. it is merely an opinion about what the advisee should do, unless in a setting where the law gives it a more stringent meaning. TLF is not such a setting.

Gengulphus

Well we can agree to differ. What really gets me is the somewhat pompous nature of the 'I would advise.......' words. We could all preface our comments with words such as 'In my opinion' or something although many/most would I think understand that most comments here are merely the poster's opinion. To emphasise that some add DYOR.

Dod

[Lootman]

Gengulphus has got me there. What I should have said is that 'This is not and never was a good time to be buying BP' Still rather clumsy I suppose but at least it is what I meant to say. Most reading it would probably know that. That is a comment reflecting my views. It is certainly not a recommendation or advice for action.

I think someone who appears occasionally and says something to the effect that ' I would/would not advise.........' is promoting something more than simply comment or opinion, at least it could very easily be taken as something more. It also sounds somewhat as though the writer has some authority for making the statement. ...

'This is not and never was a good time to be buying BP' is worded as a statement of fact and sounds somewhat as though the writer is an authority on the matter and knows it to be a fact. But you very reasonably expect people to realise that you're merely expressing your opinion. I'd suggest extending the same courtesy to those who happen to use the word "advice" or "advise" when stating their opinions... Especially as it is normally in the nature of advice that it need not be taken - i.e. it is merely an opinion about what the advisee should do, unless in a setting where the law gives it a more stringent meaning. TLF is not such a settings

Well we can agree to differ. What really gets me is the somewhat pompous nature of the 'I would advise.......' words.

Yes, how hard is it for any contributor here to say "It is my personal opinion that X" rather than "I would advise X"?

[tjh290633]

Yes, how hard is it for any contributor here to say "It is my personal opinion that X" rather than "I would advise X"?

I agree with that sentiment. My feelings are that one should say "If it were me, I would/might/etc..." or else "In my opinion....".

For us in the financial laity, giving advice is surely inadvisable. Professionals would have appropriate insurance, we do not.

TJH

[MDW1954]

Moderator Message:
We've gone a long way off topic, and I don't think that there is any more to be usefully said on either BP/Ineos or the vexatious topic of advice versus opinions. So I'm closing this thread. -- MDW1954