People who are never, ever wrong

[Peppergirl]

We all know people like this. My ex-husband (even when we were on decent terms) has always been one. I work with a couple of them. God knows, the internet is FULL of them.

I've got many, MANY faults - and I am lucky in that my parents instilled in me (at a young age) the importance of ownership of one's mistakes. I'm usually very quick to admit fault when I've made a mistake or done something wrong. Perhaps this is why it makes me so insane with frustration when I encounter people who would rather walk across hot coals than admit fault or blame, even when it's staring them in the face.

So, what do you think? Do you think holding oneself accountable is something one learns as a child, through proper parenting? Or do you think lack of accountability is a character flaw that develops over time?

One observation I've made: Most of the people I know who are never wrong all seem to have parents who never held them accountable for anything.

I find myself wondering if this is common.

[MadMike]

I was kind of like that when I was a kid, but I think a large part of that was because anytime I was wrong, even if I owned up to it right away, my mom would never let me hear the end of it. And let's face it, no one likes someone who constantly says "I told you so!"

I grew out of it, but slipped back into my old ways when I was still with my ex, for similar reasons to what I mentioned above. Now that she's gone, I'm not that way anymore. At least I don't think I am.

[Boozy]

My husband is one of those people. It's the one and only thing I cannot stand about living with him.

If we get into an argument, he'll keep coming at me until I either agree that he is right...or leave the house in an attempt to end the conversation entirely. Seriously. Those are my only two options.

Saying "We'll agree to disagree" doesn't work. His opponent must admit defeat. It's incredibly infuriating.

My solution is to lie. I'll say, "You're right, dear." He knows I'm lying. It drives him crazy. But there's nothing he can do about it.

Thankfully, we always see eye-to-eye about important things that affect our lives together. If I lead him to believe that I agree with his bat-shit crazy idea for public school curriculum, or his assinine theories about supply-side economics, it's no big deal.

[Boozy]

One observation I've made: Most of the people I know who are never wrong all seem to have parents who never held them accountable for anything.

That isn't the case with my husband. My mother-in-law had very high expectations of him.

Of course, I suspect that those high expectations were mixed in with a healthy dose of "You are a very special snowflake" ego-stroking. So you may be on to something there.

[HotelKatz]

My father is one of them.

I suspect that if God appeared right in front of him and pointed out that my dad was wrong about something, my dad would argue that God is wrong and he is right.

Personally, I think it's more about arguing than it is about being right about my dad.

[DrFaroohk]

I consider myself to be ALMOST never wrong, but I also tend to qualify a lot of my statements with "I think" or "I'm pretty sure."

"I'm pretty sure Obama is our first black president." If he is, I'm right. If he isn't, I' m not wrong, I was just saying that I *think* he is, which is actually an accurate statement.

[McDreidel09]

It could also be part of the growing up process. Some people were never made accountable for their actions, but later on, they learn to take ownership. Only a couple of years ago, I never thought twice about things I did. I used to never think about anyone else in my actions, mostly because I was sick of being trampled all over. In that process, I trampled over other people. In the past year, I have gone back and told the people I have hurt that I was sorry and that I made mistakes when I did what I did.

Now any mistake I make, I own up to right away.

[Greenday]

I am one of those people. The problem is, I usually don't get into such a heated argument unless I am right so it's hard for me to admit I'm wrong. And then, even if I am right, I look like a jackass for not backing down. I would even be okay to agree to disagree but no one will ever do it.

[DrFaroohk]

I am one of those people. The problem is, I usually don't get into such a heated argument unless I am right so it's hard for me to admit I'm wrong. And then, even if I am right, I look like a jackass for not backing down. I would even be okay to agree to disagree but no one will ever do it.

Hate that stuff. You're right, but still wrong because everyone gangs up on you. One should not be made into a bad guy simply for being superior.

[Greenday]

Hate that stuff. You're right, but still wrong because everyone gangs up on you. One should not be made into a bad guy simply for being superior.

I can't help it if I'm usually right.

[AdminAssistant]

I am occasionally mistaken, and I'm not afraid to admit it. (In fact, due to a variety of issues, I'm usually TOO quick to apologize/admit fault or that I'm wrong, even if I'm not wrong. It's weird.) What I can't stand are the people who get up in your face about it, "I'm right and you're wrong! Nahnahnahnahnahnahhhhhhhhh" Um, I'm sorry, I outgrew that behavior sometime around, oh, kindergarten? Especially if it's a trivial fact that has no bearing on anything whatsoever. I was watching X-Men 2 with Fiance and while we were talking about the X-Men franchise, I mixed up a few of the characters and got nice, long lecture. Oh, I'm so sorry that I mixed up two blue mutants (Beast and Nightcrawler). Now that I've been thoroughly corrected, the world will once again spin properly on its axis.

[Peppergirl]

Of course, I suspect that those high expectations were mixed in with a healthy dose of "You are a very special snowflake" ego-stroking. So you may be on to something there.

This was the case with my ex-husband. He was the golden boy of the family. After all, they were all so proud that he was the only one of 5 kids to graduate from high school. But that's another story for another day.

Your description of times like those with your husband made me chuckle. I'd love to be a fly on the wall when you 'yes dear' him. Is he like that with everyone, or just you?

[Andara Bledin]

Hate that stuff. You're right, but still wrong because everyone gangs up on you. One should not be made into a bad guy simply for being superior.

I run into this shit a lot. I tend to not take it well when people call me out on stuff that I know I'm right on, so I refuse to back down on it, mostly because the other person is the one that brought it up, trying to make me look bad.

But because I'm keeping it going trying to get some admission out of them that they were wrong to do it, I'm the bad guy.

I've got a co-worker that never admits to ever being wrong, and since she's partly above me on the food chain, it's irritating as all hell when she accuses me of shit that's usually the fault of her pet underling. She's never once apologized for it. It got so bad that the bosslady, who runs the place and is my direct supervisor, moved me to another office room entirely to keep us from getting into fights.

^-.-^

[Boozy]

I can't help it if I'm usually right.

Okay, but keep in mind that Mr. Boozy is always 100% certain that he's right, too. Even when he's wrong.

Sometimes, it really is best to let things drop.

Your description of times like those with your husband made me chuckle. I'd love to be a fly on the wall when you 'yes dear' him. Is he like that with everyone, or just you?

I've only seen him do it with me and his mother. So basically, the people he knows will love him no matter how much of a dick he can be sometimes.

[DrFaroohk]

I run into this shit a lot. I tend to not take it well when people call me out on stuff that I know I'm right on, so I refuse to back down on it, mostly because the other person is the one that brought it up, trying to make me look bad.

But because I'm keeping it going trying to get some admission out of them that they were wrong to do it, I'm the bad guy.

I've got a co-worker that never admits to ever being wrong, and since she's partly above me on the food chain, it's irritating as all hell when she accuses me of shit that's usually the fault of her pet underling. She's never once apologized for it. It got so bad that the bosslady, who runs the place and is my direct supervisor, moved me to another office room entirely to keep us from getting into fights.

^-.-^

It's bully syndrome. Same as when a kid picks on a weaker kid in school, when the weaker kid stands up for himself, the powers that be come down HARD on him.