About this quote

Opting out of collective decisions can feel like the only sane choice when public debates turn into circus acts. It is easy to exhaust yourself trying to fix systems that rely on mass consensus. Sometimes, stepping back and refusing to play a rigged game is a necessary act of self-preservation. Do you really need to convince everyone to see things your way, or can you just focus on your own small circle? Save your energy for things you actually control instead of shouting into the void.

When to use it

• My team held a vote on a terrible new software tool that everyone loved because of the flashy marketing. I thought of this, stopped arguing, and just focused on doing my own tasks.
• You see a ridiculous, obviously false rumor get millions of likes on social media. Instead of wasting hours arguing in the comments, you close the app and go for a walk.
• The local housing board voted to ban planting tomatoes in front yards. I realized trying to talk sense into fifty angry neighbors is a losing battle, so I decided to keep my garden hidden in the backyard.