I Am Right And You Are Wrong

What if we lived in a world where people argued just for the sake of arguing? What if, in that world, all people cared about were being perceived as right wether they were actually right or not?

What if the desire to be right was so strong, it bred hatred for the others around them who also had a strong desire to be perceived as right and therefore righteous?

And what if that world is already here? What if it has already caused deep rooted division that cannot be put back together?

Is the arrogant desire to be right going to be what ultimately cripples human kind from actually moving forward? What if this primitive desire, that eventually breeds hatred, proves be the ultimate downfall in the world?

Could it be our own pride and fear turn out to be the very things that keep us enslaved from a world that could be more than we could ever imagine?

I fear the answer to that question is, in fact, yes.

a reply to: solongandgoodnight

I wish we lived in a world where everybody was "right". Instead, we live in a world where everybody, as you said, wants to be perceived as right, even when they are not.

If we lived in a world where everybody truly wanted to be right, they would apply the scientific method to everything they believe and then alter their stances based on what they learn from it so they could then be "right". Most people know they aren't right but that doesn't stop them from making sure that nobody finds out.

originally posted by: solongandgoodnight
What if we lived in a world where people argued just for the sake of arguing? What if, in that world, all people cared about were being perceived as right wether they were actually right or not?

What if the desire to be right was so strong, it bred hatred for the others around them who also had a strong desire to be perceived as right and therefore righteous?

.

Thank God we don't have anyone like that on ATS.

For the sake of no sarcasm emoticon, the above was highly sarcastic.......


ETA: FYI Mods, preview still not working.

originally posted by: Cuervo
a reply to: solongandgoodnight

I wish we lived in a world where everybody was "right". Instead, we live in a world where everybody, as you said, wants to be perceived as right, even when they are not.

If we lived in a world where everybody truly wanted to be right, they would apply the scientific method to everything they believe and then alter their stances based on what they learn from it so they could then be "right". Most people know they aren't right but that doesn't stop them from making sure that nobody finds out.

It's pride of self, and I believe it is more dangerous and damaging to our fellow man and ourselves than we can truly imagine.

But, but,
If someone argues on something that they believe in, they can be right or wrong, even for the right reasons...as they understand, or understood them. I dare say for instance, scientists working on AGW, GW, CC and so on when it was AGW... thought their research was empirical at the time based on what they knew or were given, so you had the buzzword, "believe me it's real" and they still say that, even though God knows how much revision has gone on in the meantime. There's probably a few who have jumped in the lake in frustration!
Arguing that a black crow is white, is not even simple, since it's used, with flair in some cases, by the shillybillys to derail a thread. Those guys don't care about being right or wrong.

I don't care if I'm right.

I only want to be understand. That's why I'm here, and that's why I "argue." I am not out to change anyone's mind, only to explain why I am the way I am and why I think the way I do. If we stop having dialogue, then we start to think of each other as "alien" and therefore not human. That's when the worst atrocities of man on man tend to happen.

I personally think we don't "argue" enough.

"Listen, you little wiseacre: I'm smart, you're dumb; I'm big, you're little; I'm right, you're wrong, and there's nothing you can do about it."

Matilda by Roald Dahl

a reply to: solongandgoodnight

Evil is the exact science of being carefully, correctly, wrong.

I could be wrong and you could be right. Or, you could be wrong and I could be right. That is the stance I try to start from. I know I have not read or experienced everything. So my truth can be incomplete.

originally posted by: ketsuko
I don't care if I'm right.

I only want to be understand. That's why I'm here, and that's why I "argue." I am not out to change anyone's mind, only to explain why I am the way I am and why I think the way I do. If we stop having dialogue, then we start to think of each other as "alien" and therefore not human. That's when the worst atrocities of man on man tend to happen.

I personally think we don't "argue" enough.

You are a rare breed friend, and that is a wonderful thing.

originally posted by: karmicecstasy
I could be wrong and you could be right. Or, you could be wrong and I could be right. That is the stance I try to start from. I know I have not read or experienced everything. So my truth can be incomplete.

I like this.

originally posted by: ketsuko
I don't care if I'm right.

I only want to be understand. That's why I'm here, and that's why I "argue." I am not out to change anyone's mind, only to explain why I am the way I am and why I think the way I do. If we stop having dialogue, then we start to think of each other as "alien" and therefore not human. That's when the worst atrocities of man on man tend to happen.

I personally think we don't "argue" enough.

This thread was not meant for you I suppose. I personally think you know exactly the point I'm trying to make. However, feel free to argue away.

a reply to: solongandgoodnight

Thats a pretty good description of Fox news op

a reply to: khnumlol yes, yes it is.