Do You Really Need To Have An Opinion?

“If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that you are subconsciously aware of having no good reason for thinking as you do. If some one maintains that two and two are five, or that Iceland is on the equator, you feel pity rather than anger, unless you know so little of arithmetic or geography that his opinion shakes your own contrary conviction. The most savage controversies are those about matters as to which there is no good evidence either way. Persecution is used in theology, not in arithmetic, because in arithmetic there is knowledge, but in theology there is only opinion. So whenever you find yourself getting angry about a difference of opinion, be on your guard; you will probably find, on examination, that your belief is going beyond what the evidence warrants.” – Bertrand Russell

“We have the power to hold no opinion about a thing and to not let it upset our state of mind–for things have no natural power to shape our judgment.” – Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

While the world and social media beckons us to have an opinion on every single topic and to publicly state said opinion as much as possible and on as many platforms as possible, realize you do have a choice.

You can choose to not have an opinion.

And if you have an opinion, you can choose to keep it to yourself.

It doesn’t mean you don’t care. You care deeply about the world and humanity. But having a fully-formed, nuanced opinion and then sharing it should take a lot of time and energy. You need to observe, read, think, write, converse, engage, explore and reflect.

It’s okay to sit this one out.

There are only so many causes and topics that you can put your shoulder behind.

A good hitter doesn’t swing at every pitch.

Light that’s focused is way more powerful than light that’s dispersed.