The responsibility of having an opinion

We should all have our own opinions—and share them. But we must also remember: others might take us seriously. In fact, we often want to be taken seriously.

If our words can influence others, then we owe it to them—and to ourselves—to invest in how we form those opinions. That means paying deeper attention, seeking different perspectives, reading more widely, and observing more closely.

It also means reflecting after we speak. And being open to disagreement—not just to defend our view, but to refine it, where we find gaps in our opinions, as we listen to those of others.

We’ll never have perfect opinions. But caring about their impact should push us to think better. And that includes making space to actually think—so our minds can process what we’re constantly consuming.