We live in a world that never stops talking. Turn on the TV, open social media, or chat with friends - it feels like everyone always has something to say about everything. There is constant pressure to share our thoughts and opinions, even on topics we don't fully understand. But what if we got more comfortable with simply saying "I don't have an opinion on that"?
A 2022 study by the University of Pennsylvania found that the average person encounters over 100,000 words of information every day through various media channels. With so much input, it's no wonder we often feel compelled to reciprocate by offering our own views, whether we're truly informed or not.
Showing Maturity by Withholding Opinions
Imagine you are in a meeting at work, discussing an important company policy change. The debate gets heated as people hastily take sides. But then, your colleague Thabani speaks up: "I appreciate everyone's perspectives, but I have to admit, I don't have a strong stance on this yet. I need to review the documentation more thoroughly before weighing in." What are your thoughts on Thabani’s reaction? You most likely feel that Thabani's willingness to hold back rather than jump onto the bandwagon shows maturity and respect for the complexity of the issue.
Let's look at social media. Scrolling through your feed, you see people arguing and reacting instantly to a controversial news story. You realize you don't have enough context or facts to fully understand the situation. Instead of adding to the noise with an uninformed opinion, you consciously decide not to comment. Your silence is a refreshing break from the echo chamber of reactionary takes.
The Value of Remaining Silent
According to a Pew Research study, around 25% of U.S. adults admit to often posting comments on social media before fully understanding the issue at hand. We've all been there - that urge to weigh in, to be part of the conversation, even when we lack true insight.
But here's the thing: voicing underinformed opinions rarely contributes value. It is okay, even advisable, to pause, process information deeply, and ultimately realize you have no solid opinion to state yet. Resisting the urge to constantly insert yourself creates room to think in a more nuanced, open-minded way.
A Story of Self-Awareness
Now, this isn't to say you should never share your views. Healthy discussion and respectful exchange of different perspectives are vital for personal growth and social progress. But it is about being more purposeful about when and why you speak up.
Consider this story: Sarah, a mid-level manager, often found herself weighing in during meetings, offering her two cents on strategic decisions that were somewhat outside her area of expertise. One day, the discussion was regarding current tax law. Sarah, as always, weighed in for the sake of saying something. Unfortunately, at that particular meeting, her boss had invited a tax expert to join them. The points raised by the expert exposed Sarah’s limited knowledge of the subject. That was the day she realized that it is better to be more informed before raising her views in meetings.
From that moment, Sarah started asking herself, "Do I have any unique expertise or insight to genuinely contribute here?" If not, she confidently said, "No opinion" - and found that her self-awareness garnered more respect than constantly giving her uncalibrated views. If she was interested in a topic, she made time to do her research before any meetings, to equip herself to weigh in.
Of course, there are times when you absolutely should share your authentic views - when you have unique, hard-won expertise or a valuable opposing stance worth voicing. But calming down that inner voice that always wants to express opinions? That requires confidence and an understanding of emotions. By boldly embracing your limitations, you may contribute something even more profound: the space for deeper listening, nuanced thinking, and wiser conversations.
This is great, Tinashe. A reminder that, I think, a lot of us need. Normalising being able to say "I don't know, I need to learn some more information before I comment on that" is one of the best things we could all do for each other. It would probably prevent a lot of confusion, and arguments!
I like this! I agree, social media has created the atmosphere conducive for a lot of noise. in fact, it seems to me, there’s a lot of pere pressure to speak up or your somehow agree with everything you don’t speak. It’s a delicate balance for sure, but I deeply appreciate the invite to be part of the world that is more listening and learning, then simply flapping our jaw. I think the more we can infuse our daily actions, whether speaking, or listening with an authentic love for the well-being of one another the further along will be in helping our world reach its potential! Thanks Tinashe!