If you really think about it, if you just keep your two cents to yourself then you'll always have at least two pennies to rub together. (Aren't idioms fun?) Does that explain why staying out of fruitless debates can contribute to an overall state of emotional well-being? I mean no one wants to be dodging flack just because they have an "unpopular" opinion. Like the opinions we have about teaching kids to recognize and respect authority figures. That's what we're talking about. It's amazing what you can learn about someone just by talking to them.