"Have a definite opinion"
About this Quote
William Safire, the Pulitzer-winning New York Times columnist and former presidential speechwriter, packed a whole philosophy of writing and public life into the terse command: "Have a definite opinion". It is both craft advice and a civic ethic. For a columnist, hedged neutrality produces fog; readers do not come for a summary of what everyone thinks, but for a mind at work. A definite opinion gives prose its spine. It clarifies the lead, selects the telling facts, sharpens verbs, and gives the piece an arc. Without it, writing collapses into throat-clearing and caveats.
Safire knew the difference between conviction and dogmatism. He relished argument and coined zingers for Spiro Agnew, yet as host of the On Language column he invited readers to challenge him, printed corrections, and admitted when usage drifted beyond his preference. Having a definite opinion does not mean refusing to learn; it means starting from a clear stance and testing it against evidence and counterexample. The courage to take a position is inseparable from the humility to revise it.
The maxim also pushes back against performative balance. In politics and journalism, reflexive both-sidesism can flatten moral distinctions and reward bad faith. A definite opinion forces the writer to assess the merits, assign weight, and be accountable. If wrong, the error is legible and corrigible; if right, the clarity helps readers act.
As practical counsel, the line urges writers to know their thesis before they type, to choose words that commit, and to resist the narcotic of qualifiers that protect egos but dull meaning. As democratic counsel, it asks citizens to engage debate openly rather than hide behind vagueness. Safire prized vigor of thought and language. A definite opinion animates both, turning mere information into argument, and argument into the public conversation that a free society depends on.
Safire knew the difference between conviction and dogmatism. He relished argument and coined zingers for Spiro Agnew, yet as host of the On Language column he invited readers to challenge him, printed corrections, and admitted when usage drifted beyond his preference. Having a definite opinion does not mean refusing to learn; it means starting from a clear stance and testing it against evidence and counterexample. The courage to take a position is inseparable from the humility to revise it.
The maxim also pushes back against performative balance. In politics and journalism, reflexive both-sidesism can flatten moral distinctions and reward bad faith. A definite opinion forces the writer to assess the merits, assign weight, and be accountable. If wrong, the error is legible and corrigible; if right, the clarity helps readers act.
As practical counsel, the line urges writers to know their thesis before they type, to choose words that commit, and to resist the narcotic of qualifiers that protect egos but dull meaning. As democratic counsel, it asks citizens to engage debate openly rather than hide behind vagueness. Safire prized vigor of thought and language. A definite opinion animates both, turning mere information into argument, and argument into the public conversation that a free society depends on.
Quote Details
| Topic | Decision-Making |
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