We live in a world that seems addicted to opinions. Every news cycle, every celebrity scandal, every political gaffe demands instant commentary. Scroll through social media and it looks like everyone is an expert on everything.
But here’s a thought: what if the wisest course is to have no opinion at all on most things?
This isn’t apathy. It’s discipline.
Why No Opinion Is Often the Best Opinion
Marcus Aurelius reminded us, “You always own the option of having no opinion.” That’s not weakness, that’s strength. Imagine how much calmer, sharper, and more productive life would be if we stopped reacting to every passing story or outrage-of-the-day.
In 2018, I wrote “Don’t Have Opinions. Or Feelings.” The point then was that most negative energy—our hatred of politicians, celebrities, or strangers—comes from people we’ve never even met. It’s wasted emotion.
This is the natural sequel. Not only should we drop the feelings, we should drop most of the opinions too.
The Reality Check
Here’s the truth: we don’t know nearly as much as we think we do. Most of the time we’re operating on partial information, bias, or borrowed talking points. Having no opinion is a recognition of that ignorance. It’s humility, and humility is rare in an age of hot takes.
Why pretend to care about a subject we’ve never studied? Why form judgments about people we’ll never meet? Why spend energy on issues where our opinion will change nothing at all?
The Payoff
By declining to form an opinion, we reclaim our time. We protect our mental energy. And we free ourselves to focus on the few things that actually matter—our families, our communities, our work, our character.
Instead of being pulled into every argument, we can redirect our attention toward living well. As Aurelius put it, “Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.”
The Challenge
So here’s my challenge: the next time someone asks, “What’s your take on this?” try answering, “I don’t have one.” Watch the surprise. Watch the relief in yourself. It’s not a cop-out. It’s clarity.
Because it turns out, having no opinion on most things is the strongest opinion you’ll ever hold.
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