The parable of the Chinese farmer shows that in each situation, the farmer did not demand the outcome be positive or negative. His response of 'maybe yes, maybe no' reflects a wise acceptance of uncertainty.
There's a specific kind of person who answers 'what do you want for dinner' with 'whatever you want' and isn't being easygoing. They genuinely lost access to the question a long time ago, in a house where wanting things drew the wrong kind of attention. - Silicon Canals
People who say 'whatever you want' often struggle with expressing preferences due to past experiences that made wanting unsafe.
The people who answer 'I don't mind, whatever you want' aren't being easygoing. They're running a private calculation that having a preference has cost them more than it has ever earned them - Silicon Canals
Expressing preferences can feel costly, leading some individuals to suppress their desires to avoid conflict.
I tracked every decision I made for a year that started with 'I don't mind, you choose' and realized I wasn't being easygoing. I was running a conflict avoidance protocol so deeply embedded I had genuinely mistaken it for having no preferences. - Silicon Canals
Many people who appear easygoing actually suppress their preferences to avoid conflict, rather than being genuinely indifferent.