Member-only story
The Lost Art of Shutting the F*#k Up
Sometimes the best thing you can say or write is nothing at all.
Don’t get me wrong, I am all for people having opinions about things. When people don’t have opinions they frequently cannot contribute to discussions, conversations, or offer others help.
The thing is, all too often people think their opinion is SO valuable that they HAVE to share. Even when a matter only impacts them indirectly, or when someone has made it clear they are just venting and don’t want an opinion.
This tends to turn really ugly really quickly. Simple discussions suddenly turn into diatribes and flame wars. The smallest offense gets blown up to surreal proportions, and people attack one another who might not otherwise engage.
This is why the lost art of shutting the f*#k up is so valuable.
“Opinions are like assholes — everybody has one.” — Various sources
It doesn’t matter what the topic on hand may be, likely you have an opinion about it. It might be a weak, detached opinion. Or it might be a really strong, very personal opinion.
There is a time and a place to spout your opinion. In certain instances, circumstances, and events, the time may be now. More often than not, though, the time to express your…