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I think therefore I am right.
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That's, in essence, the sentiment that we see in many public discussions where
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opinions feel more like the premise rather than the result of a thinking process.
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“I am right” is a sentiment that you often find in people who believe that
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being wrong is a sign of weakness.
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You also find it in people who fear the consequences of not being right.
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And maybe even fear change in general.
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And so, they try to prevent this by insisting that they are right and that the
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way that they are doing things is right.
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In the most extreme cases, it's almost as if these people feel entitled to
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owning the truth, almost as if the truth would have to bend according to their
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opinion rather than the other way around.
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“I think therefore I am right”, is a huge stretch from Decartes’
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famous original insight, which was: “I think, therefore I am.”
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Ironically, that statement was based on the inside that there's actually really
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not much that he could be certain about.
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It's the exact opposite of insisting to be right.
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In fact, it's precisely the doubt that opens up new ways and shows
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us new solutions to old problems.
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That's why I believe that a better stance would be to say: “I think, therefore I
