It's fun to worry about big things, isn't it? Huge, important moral,

philosophical, political and social questions are infinitely more interesting than one's real life. Opinions are everywhere. If you're reading this page, you've already encountered a number of opinions. (They're nearly as insidious as advertising.) You probably have a number of opinions yourself. So the question is: What are you gonna do about them?

There's an old, somewhat sexist joke that goes like this: A man is talking about his marriage. "Yeah," he says, "My wife and I have an agreement. I worry about all the major issues, like foreign policy, the national debt, gays in the military. She takes care of all the little stuff, like who's going to pick up the kids, where we go on vacation, what's for dinner."

Unlike many opinionated people (and columnists), I have chosen the wifely role here. To be perfectly honest, I don't think you really care about my position on gun control, abortion, affirmative action, etc., etc. In fact, I don't really care about my opinion on such matters unless there's something relevant to that opinion going on in my immediate world. I'm not going to air my opinion on abortion unless I'm going to have one or I have the option of voting on whether or not I have the option to have one. And that's the problem with these Big Opinions. They don't mean a damn thing to anyone else.

The thing is, you have to choose your battles. Do you want to waste your energy arguing moral points with mall preachers? Rather pointless, but it's a good way to waste an afternoon. The same goes for pointless tirades about any big issue. If it's just ranting without relevance, you're wasting your time/ink/breath.

Here's an idea: Worry about what you can change. Here's an example: I write a column about the dearth of toilet paper in a certain bathroom; that bathroom is now fully stocked with paper products. It wasn't (and isn't) a burning issue, but it's one that affects me and a number of others. Problem addressed, problem solved. I'm not saying that everything is this easy, but a lot of things are.

So start with small changes. Dye your hair. (Semi-permanent shades require a minimum of commitment.) Recycle a weekend's worth of soda and beer cans. Return your library books on time.

Then move on to small changes about medium-sized things. Teach your friends how to use a semicolon properly. Write a letter to the editor. Attend a seminar on something important to you.

Now you're ready for small changes about big things. Write an editorial column about something timely and relevant which affects you directly. Write a letter to your Congressperson. Vote.

There are plenty of opportunities for Big Opinions about relevant things. The university wants to turn incoming freshmen into mole people. If the IIF Building isn't worth a rant or two, I don't know what is. The recent decision to raise tuition was opposed by a great number of students who made an obvious show of their Big Opinions on the matter. It didn't keep our tuition down, but as my mom says "If you don't vote, you can't bitch." Everyone who lobbied the state legislature about the tuition hike now has the right to bitch incessantly.

As for the more amorphous Big Opinion issues, get yourself involved in the Big Causes. (And now for the timely and relevant portion of this column.) The whole country's in a feel-good state over the Summit for America's Future. The idea is to take care of the country's kids, but it's also a good excuse for a bunch of Big Opinion holders to actually do something. If you care so much about your opinions, go back them up with action. Search online for "Volunteer" and you'll find a mountain of opportunities. Or just call up your favorite charity or service organization and ask them how you can help.

Admittedly, my hypocrisy is showing. I don't volunteer. I am, however (shameless self-promotion ahead), part of a four-poet mission to put poetry back in pop culture through spoken word performances at a local nightclub. I get paid just about enough to cover my drinks and the cost of paying someone more dexterous than I to blow my hair into a That Girl flip. But it's something I believe in and am willing to do something about.

And that's what it comes down to, doing something about something you believe in. If you want to spout Big Opinion, well, that's what coffee shops are for. If you want to change things, that's what opinion pages, letter-writing campaigns and volunteering are about. So sally forth, kids, and make me proud.

M. Stephanie Murray is a junior majoring in English literature. Her column, 'What Fresh Hell?', appeared every other Wednesday.

By M. Stephanie Murray (columnist)
Arizona Daily Wildcat
April 30, 1997