Are you always right? Really!

August 21, 2020

Nagui Bihelek

Your Opinion Doesn’t Make You Right

In the new normal, many of us have opinions, but does that make us right or just righteous? In many countries we are seeing a second wave of COVID-19 resurgence, and it’s causing a new wave of opinions, excuses and denials.

So many people are reaching for statistics to support their arguments without questioning the statistics themselves. Is the data we’re given false? Has it been tarnished with media speculations? Or outspoken personalities with strong opinions that others believe?

What is actually going on?

Do you know? And if you think you do, are you 100 percent right? What makes you right when there are so many other people who believe themselves to be right too, who also have different opposing arguments? Are their facts more right than yours?

Being outspoken about your beliefs does NOT make you right - only righteous. Verbally bullying others into submission is not logical nor is it factual reality. It is just emotional submission. The only thing we can be assured about is that people are creatures of habit and survival. Our brain is programmed to help us do whatever it takes to survive.

Introvert or Extrovert.

For some people survival means interacting with others while for others it means isolation from others. Haven’t we seen this all our lives - Introverts and Extroverts. Extraverts, often the movers and shakers in our society, believe that their survival depends on their engagement with others, and will share with you all kinds of statistics to support their need for interaction with others, and that the isolation is harmful and wrong. This is unfounded and statistics do not support that.

While the introverts, often the scholars in our society, will show you statistics and facts to support the need for isolation. They are comfortable with reduced interactions with others. Solitude is how they recharge. Too much interaction is draining for them.

Whichever your reality, it is correct for you. It feels and sound like it is the right one. This is your filter, and your lens. We all have different filters and rules for survival. They are all ok! A person is not an idiot just because they don’t think like you or me. They just have a different way of looking at things. Isn’t that humanity? Isn't that important? Isn’t it valuable to listen to other perspectives rather than focus on just a single one? Isn’t a one sided view what causes people to have blind spots?

Blind spots.

The value of having different perspectives is to eliminate blind spots. Blind spots in leadership, business, and life are all because we only see one side, and miss a whole lot of valuable insights by doing so.

People! Yes, you! The world is not doomed because people are not wearing masks when they go out. It is also not doomed because you are being forced to wear masks and you think it is unnecessary or wrong. It is not propaganda driving either. Just in this past week I’ve talked to people on both sides of this that offered arguments of propaganda to support both sides. It is a natural response to our SURVIVAL instinct. It is natural when there is UNCERTAINTY. It is natural when drastic CHANGE occurs. It's natural to present and argue our own beliefs.

Auditory and Visual-reader

Just as there are extroverts and introverts, there are also those that abhor change vs others that love it. There are also those that have a need to have verbal auditory interaction and at the opposite end of the scale, others who’s auditory receptors are quickly overloaded when presented with too much verbal communication. Some prefer reading written reports to get their information, while others insist on a face to face conversation.

You're just different

What’s interesting is if you approach each of these extreme personality types they would argue as to how the opposite technique is flawed. One argument presented demonstrates that talking is full of unnecessary words inserted to get the desired reaction with others. To influence. While another would say that written material is unnatural because it has been edited to get the desired message across. Which one is right and which one is wrong. The answer: Neither and both. People are unique individuals and are just wired differently. They filter the world through different lenses.

It’s ok to be different. It’s ok for others to be different. It’s important for us to accept that there will be differences. It's not ok to judge these as wrong. It's silly to argue and fight over these differences. Much smarter to embrace and understand them.

You're right and you're also wrong. Get over it.