I know nothing more stupid and indeed vulgar than wanting to be right" - Paul Valery
My Dad always taught us to learn anything that came your way. Knowledge be it of any subject is quite essential for the life. This might be the reason I learned to do various tasks easily, be it cooking, operating computer, farming and others activity. Learning is more important that probing yourself right all the time. The above quote by French poet stands quite true in todays time, where I find people not interested in learning rather always try to defend and prove themselves right.
We are the best, everyone else is inferior to us
This is the English translation of popular Hindi proverb. (Humhum hain baaki sab paani kam hai). I have seen people are more pronged to this proverb. May be a typical orthodox mindset, where they are not ready to accept their mistakes. The phrase is used to portray oneself as better or more impressive than others, such as to show one's superiority in a competition or discussion. There are many situation where I like to end the discussion when find the people are not ready to accept the right things. They believe, they have the complete grasp of the knowledge and there is nothing more to add on it. Honestly speaking, I feel pity for such people and wanted to share the above quote from the poet. My Dad who was not even aware of this quote, always insist to learn. He made us to learn. He might be true that learning is a continuous cycle in life. The more we learn, the better it is for surviving life.
I am always right
Always wanting to be right often closes the mind. Being right provides a temporary, quick win that boosts self-esteem, but it often comes at the cost of genuine connection and growth. A strong need to be right often masks low self-esteem, where admitting error feels like a personal failure or threat to self-worth. It reminds that certainty can become a trap, pushing us to defend our ego instead of seeking the truth. This types of mindset, ultimately hinders personal growth and damages relationships by stifling creativity and trust. When such things happen within a family, or a closed related the very effective results is damaged relation. Such type of behavior makes others feel unheard, disrespected, or like they can't trust you. I have dealing this type of situation ever since I shifted to my village. They have a different mindset, but they are innocence too. They have limited scope of learning and whatever they were taught remain intact into their mind. And they are not ready to accept or add new things into their mind. Be it old or a young adults. They get very rigid if you want to add anything new to their learning book.
Curiosity keeps leading us down new paths
In my opinion, real wisdom grows when we stay curious, humble and open to learning from others. I remember my first promotion in the corporate world was the result of this mindset. I was chosen out of 23 to lead the time. Only because I wanted to learn more about the process and the system. While the others were considered themselves as master of everything. Real wisdom often begins when we admit how little we understand about the world. Believing you "know it all" stops growth. Curiosity breaks this trap by fostering intellectual humility. Curiosity is considered a "superpower" that keeps individuals relevant, young, and connected in a fast-changing world.
Curiosity is the compass that keeps us moving forward on the journey toward wisdom. By constantly seeking knowledge, you become better equipped to navigate challenges. As Albert Einstein famously said,
"I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious".
In good faith - Peace!!
