There is no need to quick fire

June 29, 2025

I only recently realized something quite simple about everyday conversations that makes life easier.

When talking to a friend about a more or less serious topic, there is no need to give a quick fire response to their question. You are allowed to just ask for some time to think about the question. I, of course, don’t recommend using this to flee the conversation, but to honestly give it a ponder. You should look at the problem from different angles, to then give an answer you can wholeheartedly stand behind.

Sometimes, one just needs to put the answer on the grindstone a couple of times and enchant it anew to then get a really satisfying answer.⊕

Other people will most often accept your request and might even take it as a compliment that you take their matters so seriously.

This technique is a tool to give you the time to form opinions. This in some sense extends my note On Opinions, which concluded with the idea that it’s better to have no opinion than one that you haven’t spent much time thinking about.