It depends.

I'm a dilettante for some things, so no: my opinions outrank anything else. I'm whoring for attention and should have been on reddit this time.

I'm a student of others: I read to learn and comment to try and test my understanding, usually with an experimental reference to ground things.

I'm a player in a third case: I have a view, I know the primary author or know them indirectly, I (arrogantly, mistakenly) assert a view of my own.