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If we locked 10 people in a room that all thought they were “right” about the answer to a subjective question, and they each had a different belief of what was right, then told them they couldn’t leave the room until all ten agreed to a single answer as the right one, what do you think would happen?

If you think about it there is very little that can be spoken of as any sort of absolute certainty that doesn’t require several caveats attached.

Most people who truly believe that they are “always right” overlook the fact that the overbearing personality which usually accompanies that belief tends to put off others to the point they try not to even engage them in conversation.

Even when the subject at hand is of a scientific nature and someone has “done research” they can only claim to right as far as the current beliefs are concerned.

Even Einstein’s theory of relativity, once believed to be an unshakeable “fact” in physics has come under scrutiny. I recall when the molecules of an atom were said to be the smallest particles in the physical world.

Medicine is the same. Considered a “true science” there was a time when someone who suffered from any illness was deliberately cut so the “bad blood” could be drained out.

What I wonder is why for some people it is so very important that they are perceived as being right all the time ?

Psychologically speaking it’s a fair guess that it’s due to an over-inflated sense of self, likely to compensate for high degree of insecurity. Not always, but if you place a bet on it, that’s where the odds are best.

I personally subscribe to the shared concept of those that many would consider to be some of the greatest minds throughout written history.

The more we learn, the greater our understanding of just how ignorant we truly are.

Those who find great importance in proving themselves right all the time have a problem because they must see themselves as the “winner” and that they’re smarter than whoever they are disagreeing with.

Years have shown me that if I’m dealing with someone who “knows it all” there will be no way to prove them wrong, and if I did I’d end up becoming frustrated over something of no real importance.

The only emotion that “kept us alive” before we developed a brain capable of more abstract thinking would have been our “fight or flight” response.

If we weren’t threatened there was nothing to worry about. When we perceived a threat the only reaction that would save our lives was the single course of action we would take.

It costs nothing to allow someone to walk away feeling they were right as they hold on tightly to their own ignorance.

Michael Ireland

https://www.quora.com/How-do-you-know-if-you-are-right-and-others-are-wrong