No, seriously, there is some neurological evidence to suggest that people who don’t change their points of view gradually score lower on IQ tests because they aren’t exercising the critical thinking parts of the brain.

And while this is faaaaaaar from proven if one does refuse to admit when one is wrong then, as a matter of pure logic, one will become less “smart” over time.

Let us accept, as a matter of fact, that what is “correct” changes over time. Newtonian physics are pretty good, in fact we still use them to calculate the routes of space shuttles, but Einsteinian physics are far superior. Richard Dawkins himself has said that anyone who believed in evolution before the 18th century was an idiot, because at that time there was no evidence to support it. What is “right” changes over time as new evidence becomes available.

So let’s pick a best case scenario for you, dear reader. Let us assume that you are currently right about everything. Whenever you take part in an argument on any issue you are absolutely correct. Every idea you have is completely in line with all of the best available evidence from science, society and elsewhere.

Naturally, you tend to stick to your guns in arguments, because you know that you’re right. Of course people being people those with whom you debate often refuse to admit that you’re right, but that’s humanity for you.

Next, let us imagine that after 10 years someone, in a debate with you, points out that one of your ideas needs to be modified slightly, because new evidence has come to light.

Being shown to be even slightly wrong in this way annoys you, and bruises your ego, and so you refuse to admit your wrongness. You choose instead to send the young upstart packing with a witty rejoinder and a scathing “yo momma”!

But over time this keeps happening; more and more people keep saying that you aren’t keeping up with the latest evidence. It doesn’t really bother you because you are used to people refusing to admit that you’re right so you just keep verbally beating these people into the ground.

The problem is that these people are actually correct. While you’ve been sticking to your guns new research has come out and new ideas have emerged.

The world is not as it was.

But you haven’t noticed because you’ve been too busy basking in the glow of always being right.

Except you’re not right. You haven’t been right for a while. You’ve just sounded as if you were right.

So even if you are absolutely right about everything, right now, if you are unable to admit when you’re wrong you will soon become wrong, about pretty much everything.

All it takes is time, and your own inability to admit that you are wrong.

Of course, this means that if you are the kind of person who hates to admit that they are wrong and has been like this for a while then, logically, right now you are probably wrong about a whole bunch of things, but you haven’t noticed because you’re not strong enough to face the facts.

Sucks to be you.

But what’s the alternative?

Well, first you need to realise that you are not your ideas. If your ideas are wrong that is not a reflection on you personally. If your ideas are right that is not a reflection on you personally. Your ideas being right actually has nothing to do with you.

This is how you disidentify from your ideas. It takes practice but it can be done.

You need to realise that the exultation you get from “beating” someone in an argument and the painful cognitive dissonance you feel when someone shows you are wrong are both illusory. They are just your ego beating its little fists against the inside of your mind. You don’t have to listen to it. You don’t have to do what it says.

It feels good to listen to it, both the enjoyable parts and, bizarrely, the painful parts, but you don’t have to, and it’s better if you don’t.

Friends, I am utterly addicted to being right, about everything. But (and this is important) I have no interest at all in appearing to be right. If I know that I’ve looked at all the evidence, thrown my own biases aside and made the most impartial decision I can then I really don’t give a crap if people don’t believe me.

I’m not interested in seeming to be right, only in actually being right, and that is why I enjoy being proven wrong.

This may seem strange but it’s obvious when you think about it.

If I’m proved wrong (as I frequently am) then it means that I’ve learned something. It means that from that point onward my ideas will be stronger than they were before. The opposite possibility would be refusing to admit when I’m wrong and carrying on with ideas that have been shown to be weak.

When I picture the way I, as a younger man, used to do just that (often with a smug, ignorant smile on my face) I throw up a little into my mouth. The idea that I used to deliberately weaken my own understanding of the world just to create a fake boost to my ego makes me feel like an absolute tit.

So I’m glad I got better.

Or at least more better.

Step 1 in being right is admitting when you’re wrong. Look around this site for a bit. There is no way that I could have learned so much about so many diverse topics if I was unable to be taught by those who know more than me, even if they are people I despise.

This blog isn’t even within a light year of being perfect but I know that it’s as good as I can make it, because I’m ok with being wrong and I try to learn from my mistakes.

And I wish more people would try this.

-TTB

[Standard Disclaimer: this post was entirely my own opinion and was not paid for in any way, directly or otherwise, by anyone or anything that stands to gain in any way from the ideas expressed herein.]

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