All of Life is Opinion

Marcus Aurelius observed that "all of life is opinion." A seemingly simple statement that holds profound implications for how we experience each moment.

Consider the last time someone did something that struck you as unkind. Perhaps they cut you off in traffic, sent a curt email, or simply ignored your greeting. The immediate reaction feels justified—after all, their behavior was clearly inappropriate, right?

But let's examine this more carefully. No one can argue with what actually occurred. Someone performed certain actions. Those are the facts. As A Course in Miracles clarifies, "Perhaps it will be helpful to remember that no one can be angry at a fact. It is always an interpretation that gives rise to negative emotions, regardless of their seeming justification by what appears as facts."

The "unkind" or "wrong" or "inappropriate" assessment—that's pure opinion. We've taken neutral events and layered a personal construal on top, transforming them into something meaningful.

This raises an uncomfortable question: aren't we simply letting people off the hook for their behavior?

Well, consider what drives such thinking. To believe someone is "on the hook" requires we've already judged them guilty. Their behavior is wrong, deserving of consequence. Which, of course, conveniently positions us as the innocent party.

This dynamic reveals something startling about our relationship with opinion. We don't simply observe—we use interpretations to construct elaborate moral frameworks that invariably place us on the side of righteousness.

Yet what if Marcus Aurelius was pointing toward something liberating? If all of life truly is opinion, then our suffering isn't caused by what others do, but by the meanings we assign to their actions.

Join me in Thursday's class where we'll explore how recognizing the nature of opinion can transform our entire experience from sorrow to serenity. I look forward to seeing you then.