Monday, June 6, 2011

Admitting One is Wrong: A Necessary Evil

There has been many a time, especially recently, where another politician stands at a podium, denying that they had any part in unsuitable behavior.  They nearly always turn out to be lying.  It seems to us, as it may seem to many people, that if we all just admitted we were wrong at first, then there would be far fewer problems.

Except people have a lot of trouble admitting they were wrong, stupid, or unreasonable in their actions.  They will maintain, if only publicly, that they were always in the right, and twist their story into knots in order to portray themselves as the sane, rational, glorious beings that they most definitely are not.

The truth is, we all make mistakes.  We're human.  Some of us make dumber mistakes than others.  No matter. What really matters is how we cope with mistakes.  As wise people once said or wrote, there are no mistakes, only lessons.  And a lesson is repeated until it is learned.

We must all learn our lessons, and in order to do so it is better to admit wrongdoing rather than lie to our friends, colleagues, constituents, family, and ourselves.  People who tell the truth and can admit they were wrong and attempt with all their effort to make things right gain the support of those around them far more than those who go along as if they were right all the time.

If we are to truly do the right thing for our reputations, work, country, family, and ourselves, we should tell the truth, and not be afraid to say, well, we were wrong.