[pdimitar]

> So next time you hear someone declare they’re entitled to their opinion, ask them why they think that. Chances are, if nothing else, you’ll end up having a more enjoyable conversation that way.

Not really, most of the time people use the titular phrase as a way to stop discussion because they don't want their opinion challenged further -- as the author himself says at the start of the article.

Pressure people even a little beyond that point and they become unreasonable and even aggressive.

Attacking deeply held beliefs and attacking the person's ability to think are different things but these people are unable to separate them after they get triggered because they feel under attack. It becomes a desperate defense of the ego and further discussion is doomed.

People love anecdotal evidence and they especially love the idea of the underdog lonely sample that goes against the established thought in an area. Many feel that sharing such beliefs in a group event makes them more interesting, i.e. they're seeking social prestige and the goal definitely isn't search for the truth.

They're all brain defects and we all have them and we all fell victim to them at one point. I respect more the people who are able to recognize they're being unreasonable and either ask to postpone the discussion or restart it with a different set of assumptions.