People who are never, ever wrong

[Ree]

My friend is like that.
It drives me nuts.
It's probably a major factor in the reason I won't move forward with our relationship into something more permanent, even tough he keeps asking me.

I seriously don't know that I could handle being with someone like that permanently.

When I am wrong, I will admit it, but he won't, and then he will say that I am the one who hates to be wrong (because I was right!!!).

Just tonight, we had to go to a place where I have never visited, but he has.
He said he knew where it was.

I said, "Give me the address. I want to put it in the GPS."
He said, "No need. I know where it is."
I said, "You have a really bad sense of direction. Please let me put the address into the GPS."
Nope.
No budging on that.

I can't count the number of times he has gotten lost just driving from work to my place, or going across town to a store.
He always pretends he meant to go down 3 streets too many.

We were driving forever, and he was insisting the place should be around there somewhere. He knew where he was going.

Turns out, he only knew the street but not the address.
I tried googling the name of the place to find an address but I realized after that I had spelled it wrong.

I finally convinced him to stop and ask for directions.

The place was close by, but we had to backtrack.
In fact, we had driven past it, but he had forgotten to turn off onto the next street, but rather than admit his mistake, he bragged that he had known exactly where he was going and had accomplished his task, and teased me about needing to apologize for doubting him.

[guywithashovel]

I don't tend to deal much with people like this in my life. Then again, I tend not to argue much with other people. Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

I'll get into debates online, but IRL, I tend to let people think whatever they want. Someone at work thinks Obama is the best/worst thing to happen to America: fine. I won't care much. Someone else in my life believes Jesus Christ is coming back tomorrow to take her to Heaven: that's fine, too. I'll agree or disagree as I see fit and leave it at that.

[LadyMage]

oof if only I was ego stroked and told I am right all the time, I have the opposite problem, for some reason people always think I am wrong, unless I bring up proof otherwise, its so annoying and it gets to a point where I seem like the person who can never be wrong, the problem is I AM ALWAYS FUCKING WRONG TO PEOPLE so I have to fight

though if I am wrong, I'll admit it, say I am a derp and try and figure out why I thought the way I did, fixing the issue, but ugh the number of times I was right and no one believed me makes me headdesk and semi envy the know it alls

[blas87]

Nearly everyone I work with is like that. I can't fucking stand it. I don't know what makes people (and these are people of all ages and backgrounds) think that they cannot be wrong. Even if they are proven wrong, they still will NOT back down.

I hate having to back down, I really do. I'm not a very domineering person anyway so I'm not about being pushy, but I really WOULD like to hold my ground, but with people like those I work with, it's not even worth it. You end up feeling as stupid as they look, unfortunately. That's why I almost always back down. The times I don't, it's because someone is trying to nail me for something, and I will cover my butt as needed. But someone who is just trying to prove a (wrong) point or just flap their gums.....whatever. Let them think they are right. I have work to do.

[RootedPhoenix]

Augh, oh my goodness I hate dealing with people who are like this! Doesn't seem to matter what it is, you MUST agree with them, or it's the end of the universe.

short list:
~I hate my stepfather. (I don't; I've merely chosen not to speak with him because I won't put up with his near-constant anger and his own know-it-all-ness.)
~"I'm being patient with you because I know you're disabled." (My royal red toes you are! I'd hate to see you when you're not being patient!)
~"You want to be lazy./You just want someone ELSE to take care of it." (No, halfwit, I merely need assistance from you! I suspect this is because my disabilities aren't readily apparent.)
~The ones who try to minimize my difficulties. (I am just about to choke the crap out of the next twerp who tries this. *bats eyes* Anything is possible, oh yes, of course, how very silly of me to insinuate that I'm not absolutely perfect. *bats eyes* Grr, no it isn't. Stupid optimism will not help the situation.)

*sighs* Frustrating crap. *leaves plate of cookies to share*

[Peppergirl]

I'm currently dealing with an employee at work who is never, ever wrong.

Pointing out her mistakes is a JOY, let me tell ya.

'Course, all the mistakes she makes is a direct result of her training and management, you see.

I wanna say:

Just own up to the shit and move on! You wouldn't get in nearly as much hot water if you'd quit being so damned combative every time something is pointed out to you!

[MrsEclipse]

When I was a kid I was really, really smart in comparison to my peer group. I went ahead of them by leaps and bounds. I was praised endlessly for how good I excelled in school... to the point where I tied my self-worth to my performance, and even the slightest mistake was a personal blow.

To some extent, I feel I always HAVE to be right, because that's how I've learned to value myself (not nearly as much as before, but it ain't something you can just turn off) That's why I don't post unless I really feel I have something to add, and I'm 100% sure my facts are right and I can back up my argument.


In his book "Stick to Cartooning, Monkey-Brain" Scott Adams reprinted a blog article where he proposed using the "Who Cares More" method to end arguments. Basically, whoever cared more about the subject was going to win, whether or not they were right. Because, as he put it, if your girlfriend is convinced that caterpillars turn into chipmunks and no amount of evidence from experts is going to convince her otherwise, you just agree with her and the argument is over.

And, of course, to anyone who disagrees, he says: "You're right. I don't know what I was thinking...

See how easy that is?"

People who have to be right? I let 'em be right these days. Then I go find the company of people who don't mind someone pointing out in a friendly context that their belief is mistaken, we discuss it, perhaps do an internet search to check our facts, and then talk and laugh and spit and bond.


It should come as no surprise to people reading this post that I'm frequently alone.