O

April   18th

OPINIONS    ARE LIKE    .   .   .

“What   is  bad luck?   Opinion.    What    are conflict,   dispute,    blame,  accusation, irreverence,    and

frivolity?  They    are all opinions,   and more    than    that,   they    are opinions    that    lie outside of  our own

reasoned    choice, presented   as  if  they    were    good    or  evil.   Let a   person  shift   their   opinions    only    to

what    belongs in  the field   of  their   own choice, and I   guarantee   that    person  will    have    peace   of

mind,   whatever    is  happening   around  them.”

—EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 3.3.18b–19

pinions. Everyone’s got one.
Think about all the opinions you have: about whether today’s weather is convenient, about what
liberals and conservatives believe, about whether so-and-so’s remark is rude or not, about whether
you’re successful (or not), and on and on. We’re constantly looking at the world around us and putting our
opinion on top of it. And our opinion is often shaped by dogma (religious or cultural), entitlements,
expectations, and in some cases, ignorance.
No wonder we feel upset and angry so often! But what if we let these opinions go? Let’s try weeding
(ekkoptein; cutting or knocking out) them out of our lives so that things simply are. Not good or bad, not
colored with opinion or judgment. Just are.