Help Me Understand the Need to Be Right

The question was asked first on LinkedIn where other answers can be found. My answer was:

“Very important question, Sherri.

There is nothing wrong with linear thinking, but often linear thinkers forget the limits of it. Same problem with holistic thinking and holistic thinkers.

Being "right" requires a disclosure of underlying assumptions or beliefs so we can examine the assumptions and beliefs. Reasoning employs assumptions to yield valid hypothetical conclusions. Believing employs revelations to show communicated starting points from sources beyond the material world of our senses.

By examining the assumptions and beliefs we confirm the rightness of the claim, or not.

Laws and ethics try to avoid the problem by defining, in an authoritative way, how human power may be exercised legitimately or by "right". Enforcers, all around us, use reason, law, ethics, beliefs to help keep order and people in line.

Hence they are linear by nature or by choice, looking for cause and effect, logic, and punishment for "wrong" doers. They want to be in control, lest the world they seek to support collapse about them.

Holistic thinkers, on the other hand, seem more likely to use reason, law, ethics, beliefs to help keep relationships functioning and people included in the effort.
Hence they are whole-hearted by nature or by choice. They want to be in communication, lest the social network they live and work in, and support, collapses about them.

Regardless of whether we are linear thinkers or holistic thinkers, we may be self-centered and thus define what is "right" only in reference to ourselves. When this self-righteousness occurs, we may not want to stick our neck out for anyone and make sure when they do for us it does not diminish our control. Or we may only be willing to yield to a tyrant who is more tyrannical than we are. Or we may cling to the defensive walls of others until they collapse, only to find another set of walls to cling to, never exposing ourselves to the trouble of taking a position (especially about what is "right"). Or we may only want the starring role in whatever the "right" play is, with no genuine dialogue of our own.

Why this need-to-be-"right" plays out in the business world is in play so much now, I believe, is because of the series of huge scandals that have rocked the business community since Enron, WorldCom, and others. Please see the LinkedIn discussions of "might" and "right" linked below.”

What do you think?

Please include your comment here or contact me to discuss.

Thanks.

John Darrouzet