Lately I have repeatedly found myself in situations where the person I am talking to expects me to share their level of passion for a particular topic, but I have realized that I don’t have any opinion on it.
I know strong opinions are very popular. In the media having people who come from different perspectives talk over each other is common. So often there are few efforts to seek to understand. And an important lesson we need to teach students is the value of taking a position and supporting it with evidence, not opinion. I wouldn’t want thoughtful debate to go anywhere. At times, with students, and for us as adults, it also might be OK to not have an opinion. There seems to be a rush to assume we all should have opinions on everything and every issue is a litmus test for whether you are “for” or “against” us (whoever the us is in the situation).
I appreciate that part of being a community leader, which is a key aspect of the school superintendency is taking positions, but do we need to take positions on everything? Especially when the topic might not be that related to education. While I regularly express views through this blog and elsewhere on hundreds of issues – from promoting safe, caring and welcoming schools for all students, to the importance of the arts and athletics in education, when someone says I need to take a stand on issue X, before I do, a good question I am trying to ask myself is, do I really need to take a stand on issue X?
I think you can hold true to the values like those often expressed by Martin Luther King, including, “The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people,” by being a little more thoughtful on the topics and issues that we have opinions.
So, why not speak out on everything? Here is what I am thinking right now:
I am not an expert on everything – I know, we all like to think sometimes, we know all about all things, but I don’t so it is best to let others who know more on a given topic talk about it.
I want to learn – Once I have an opinion, I am stubborn and don’t like to change it. The longer I hold out before coming to a point of view the more likely I am to be more thoughtful in my thinking.
I don’t always want to fight – I know some people love having strong opinions all the time almost daring others to oppose them. I don’t shy away from the tension when I care about something, but I don’t need to fight on every topic.
Issues are often complex – I miss nuance. On so many topics in our world, we seem to obsess over black and white discussions, and not be willing to live in a world when things might be a little grey. If I can hold off on taking a position immediately, it helps acknowledge this complexity.
Opinions can be exhausting – I wonder how people who hold strong views on everything get anything done. And what happens when they come in conflict with each other – I think people get themselves all wrapped up in opinions that are strong but also from the outside are clearly in conflict with each other.
I do want to be clear, that there are many times having strong, thoughtful opinions are the absolute right thing. I think of some of the social issues swirling around schools right now and we need to be unwavering in the commitment to safe, caring and inclusive schools for all students. It is important have well-informed opinions on issues that are important to you or that directly affect your life and your work.
But maybe we don’t need to have an opinion on everything all the time.
A thoughtful post Chris…As I was reading a quote I picked up from Rod Allen on Free Range Humans (he gave credit to a presenter but I can remember who it was) popped into my head…”I know enough to be dangerous, but not enough to be knowledgeable”
I believe opinions come this very notion….
A thoughtful post Chris…As I was reading a quote I picked up from Rod Allen on Free Range Humans (he gave credit to a presenter but I can remember who it was) popped into my head…”I know enough to be dangerous, but not enough to be knowledgeable”
I totally agree that we do not have to have an opinion on everything…. however, guidance is always welcome. True, we are not experts in everything, but often insight is as good as opinion if based on fact. I think sometimes we are a little uncertain about how our real life experiences, knowledge and education can lead to good ‘insights’ that can form a rich discussion and a worthwhile, informed opinion that might be worth consideration.
We can have opinions (and obtrusive thoughts) but definitely don’t have to share them all. My opinion of gun ownership is not well received by my American relatives because I liken them to school lockdowns and events that have involved similar weapons… glad you shared your opinion of not always being opinionated!!
Yes, I think part of the issue is the oversharing of opinions. And thanks for sharing your opinion, on my opinions of not thinking we really need to have opinions 🙂
I love this Chris. One of the best high school experiences that has shaped me as an adult was Debating Club. We competed with other schools around the province and at every competition you are required to argue both sides more than once. The research we did on the statement we would be arguing for and against required you to be armed with facts from both sides. Sometimes that meant the weaker argument would need to be more conjecture wrapped up in a bow to make it look like fact. And it always was how you argued it. I like to think this is why I’m able to see many facets of an issue and to turn a critical eye to decisions made within organizations. Context and nuance are important. Working a problem from all angles is important. Listening more than talking: priceless. You’re a good egg Chris!
Thanks Nessa. Love the link to debate club. These skills are too often lost today. People are too quick to debate people and not ideas.
[…] Similar to “I’m indifferent,” this phrase conveys a lack of strong feelings towards either option. It can be used when you want to avoid influencing the decision or appearing biased. For example, if a team is discussing which project to prioritize, you could say, “I don’t have a strong opinion.” […]