Speak your mind, consequences be damned

"...or forever hold your peace" - ha, no. Unrest beats tranquility.

We live in too timid a world where most people are lost, overburdened (with imaginary troubles), pessimistic, fearful, resigned, and withdrawn -- walking around with shields, routines, fierce coping mechanisms, and powerful narcotics. How to get any honesty into or out of such cloistered creatures intent on negating their spirits?

Answer: stop pitying them and playing to their supposed defects.

People aren't the weak, incapable, boring, hopeless invalids they pretend to be. If you say something honest, most will immediately warm to the opportunity and join you for more. The others might feign initial protest until it becomes too absurd to resist frank discussion. With a little persistence they will throw off their ridiculous costumes and permit themselves at least modest exposure to reality.

It is better to risk "offending" someone with true thoughts than to not speak your mind.