We can’t be always right, can we?

One of human’s biggest downfalls is that we believe we are always right. And none of us are spared from this “vice”. No wonder there are so much dissension in this world.

Imagine that we both have differences in opinion but we are both equally convinced that we are right. No amount of discussion, confrontation, argument is going to make us change our minds. As a result we are at an impasse. We could either agree to disagree and go on our merry way or we could end up fighting tooth and nail to prove our point. By doing the latter, the consequences could get ugly. After all, who would like to be proven oh so wrong especially at a certain stage of the ‘fight’?! Besides, when any party gets to that stage of the ‘fight’, it is not just a matter of right and wrong anymore. It is also a matter of pride.

But right and wrong is a matter of perception. And perception is not necessary real or true. Confusing so far?

Consider this:
- The Have perceives money differently from the Have-not.
- The Beautiful perceives internal and external beauty differently from the Less Beautiful.
- The Rich perceives hardship differently from the Poor.
- The Old perceives certain behaviours differently from the Young.

And so on and so forth. Imagine the varied upbringing of people in this country i.e. racial and cultural differences being the tip of the iceberg. Religion, education level, life experiences, etc are some other differences I could think of. The list is endless. We are a product of our environment and upbringing. Our perceptions are formed by these variables we have encountered in our lives thus making every thought and perception of things different from the next person.

But the point is we can’t be always right, can we? And even if we think we are and thus unable to come to a consensus, isn’t it less aggravating to just agree to disagree?