Being Wrong Is Normal

Peter Leavitt
Jul 21, 2017 · 2 min read

People are often wrong about things.

People are often wrong about really important, serious things.

YOU are often wrong.

I am often wrong.

The people we love and respect are often wrong.

Our leaders are often wrong.

Being wrong is pretty darn normal.

We don’t really expect anyone to be right all the time. But we do sort of expect people to admit they’re wrong every now and then. We understand that being able to recognize when you or someone you care about is wrong is pretty crucial for growth and progress.

But we often don’t behave as if being wrong and admitting it is normal, understandable, and necessary. I think it’s worth asking ourselves:

How often are we actually willing to admit to being wrong about things, especially big things?

When was the last time you were willing to admit that someone you respect was wrong about things, especially big things?

How often are we kind to people who we feel are wrong about things, especially big things?

Do we hold other people to a different standard than ourselves when it comes to admitting wrongness?

As for myself, I hate being wrong. I derive a lot of self-esteem from feeling like I know things and have an accurate view of the world I live in. It’s an unpleasant feeling when I am confronted with information that implies I have been wrong about stuff, especially big stuff. It’s definitely hard to admit that I’m wrong. I often find myself avoiding situations where I might be confronted with my wrongness. I often give people I like the benefit of the doubt when there’s evidence they might be wrong. And I often get frustrated with people who I believe are wrong and unable to see that they’re wrong.

But for all of that, I do know what it feels like to admit I’m wrong about big things. It sucks. But I think my life is better as a result of the times I’ve been willing and able to do that. I suspect that we all have some experiences like that. I know that we’re gonna disagree about the specifics of what is “right” and “wrong” but I hope you’ll join me in trying to remember what “wrong” feels like the next time we encounter someone is wrong about something.

)
Peter Leavitt

Written by

Social scientist and educator