Owning the Option of No Opinion
“You always own the option of having no opinion.”
— Marcus Aurelius
Why this hits home
We’re pushed to react to everything—news, gossip, group chats, timelines. Marcus Aurelius cuts through the noise: you don’t owe the world a reaction. Choosing no opinion (yet) protects your attention and keeps your emotions from being yanked around by things that don’t matter or aren’t in your control.
What it really means
- Restraint > reflex. A pause gives reason a chance to show up.
- Discernment, not apathy. You’re choosing where your mind spends its time.
- Better calls, fewer regrets. Decisions made after silence age better than hot takes.
A quick, tactical guide
- Pause before you react. Don’t reply right away; give it a beat.
- Ask: “Does this require my input?” If not, let it go.
- Use a neutral line. “I don’t have an opinion on that right now,” or “I’d need more info.”
- Focus on what you control. Your work, your people, your actions. Let the rest drift by.
- Keep a mental “quiet zone.” You don’t need to chase every headline or argument.
