When you beat me in an argument, it is because your opinion is the better opinion - because your opinion is better than mine. I'm a big enough guy to admit that! I will give you full props and credit due. I'm not going to try to wiggle out of it with some weasel move, saying "oh, well, my opinion is still better than yours is, you just beat me with tricks - by being a better arguer."
Come on. What a weak cop-out! Talk about bad losermanship. And yet, a lot of people seem to labor under that exact attitude. They'd rather delude themselves that they're somehow still right, even though they can't see or explain how. Whereas in reality, they're just too cowardly to examine their own beliefs critically (this refusal, they call "courage of convictions").
Not me. No sir. When my opinion gets beat, I take my lumps and I own up to it. I call a spade to its face. I will say "sorry to say it, but your opinion is better than mine. It is better on merit." Then, I steal your opinion. It's mine now!
Mind you, I don't discard one of my opinions lightly. It has to get beat. It must lose to a superior opinion. And when that happens, sure, it stings a bit! Some of those inferior opinions are hard to let go - sentimental value and such. But the upside is, after a lifetime of this disloyalty, this crass and fickle attitude, this casual disdain towards my humble little opinion collection - the result is, the opinions I'm left with today are pretty much all right.
Which is nice. But truth be told, there's precious little pleasure to be had there. I'd much rather be proven wrong! That sweet moment of truth. That sweet defeat, that only makes you stronger.
I miss that. It's been awhile.
Come on. What a weak cop-out! Talk about bad losermanship. And yet, a lot of people seem to labor under that exact attitude. They'd rather delude themselves that they're somehow still right, even though they can't see or explain how. Whereas in reality, they're just too cowardly to examine their own beliefs critically (this refusal, they call "courage of convictions").
Not me. No sir. When my opinion gets beat, I take my lumps and I own up to it. I call a spade to its face. I will say "sorry to say it, but your opinion is better than mine. It is better on merit." Then, I steal your opinion. It's mine now!
Mind you, I don't discard one of my opinions lightly. It has to get beat. It must lose to a superior opinion. And when that happens, sure, it stings a bit! Some of those inferior opinions are hard to let go - sentimental value and such. But the upside is, after a lifetime of this disloyalty, this crass and fickle attitude, this casual disdain towards my humble little opinion collection - the result is, the opinions I'm left with today are pretty much all right.
Which is nice. But truth be told, there's precious little pleasure to be had there. I'd much rather be proven wrong! That sweet moment of truth. That sweet defeat, that only makes you stronger.
I miss that. It's been awhile.
Comments
But yes, I know what you're getting at, and it is indeed.