THE CHEAP OPINION

Everyone has an opinion. 

Of course they do.

Opinions are cheap.

They don't cost enough to make most people think twice before buying one.

You don't have to get off your ass.

You don't have to make the phone call.

You don't have to ask the question.

You don't have to sit at the table.

You don't have to hear the other side.

You don't have to spend your money.

You don't have to sacrifice your time.

You don't have to admit what you don't know.

You don't have to have that uncomfortable grown-ass conversation where somebody might tell you something that changes the story you already decided to believe.

You can just scroll.

Look.

Assume.

Talk.

And keep moving.

Cheap.

Meanwhile, right next to that opinion is the work.

Sitting there untouched.

The phone number is right there.

The conversation is available.

The questions haven't gone anywhere.

The information can be gathered.

The context can be investigated.

The relationship can be repaired.

The business can be built.

The family can have the conversation.

The problem can actually be addressed.

The person everybody is talking about can actually be talked to.

But all of that costs something.

And that's where people suddenly get quiet.

Because context costs.

Understanding costs time.

Truth might cost you your favorite version of the story.

Accountability might cost your ego.

A real conversation might cost your comfort.

Repair might cost an apology.

Contribution might cost your money.

Building might cost years.

Creating might cost sleep.

Standing behind something might cost your reputation.

And getting down into the dirt to actually understand what happened might cost you the luxury of sitting comfortably above it judging everybody who got dirty.

That's the difference between commentary and contribution.

One talks about the building.

The other lays bricks.

One discusses what somebody should have done.

The other asks, "What needs to be done?"

One studies the worker from across the street.

The other rolls up their sleeves.

That's why I'm not impressed simply because somebody has an opinion.

Everybody can afford the cheap seats.

Tell me what you investigated.

Tell me who you called.

Tell me what you asked.

Tell me what you learned.

Tell me what you corrected after learning something new.

Tell me what you contributed.

Tell me what you built.

Tell me what you put on the line.

Tell me what it cost you to arrive at that conclusion.

Because some of us are out here gathering information.

Some of us are having the conversations.

Some of us are asking questions we'd rather not hear the answers to.

Some of us are spending money.

Losing money.

Learning.

Building.

Repairing.

Trying again.

Some of us have blood, sweat, tears, receipts, mistakes, revisions, and years sitting underneath what we know.

And somebody can walk past all of that, glance through the window, and manufacture an opinion before reaching the next corner.

That's okay.

Have it.

The world isn't required to stop producing because somebody standing outside the factory has commentary about the machinery.

But understand what you're holding.

An opinion isn't automatically wisdom.

Volume isn't research.

Gossip isn't investigation.

Assumption isn't context.

Observation isn't participation.

And talking about the work is not the same thing as doing the work.

So have your opinion.

You bought it cheap.

Some of us paid for ours in experience.

The cheap opinion.

Everybody can afford an opinion.
Not everybody is willing to pay what understanding costs.