WHY I WANT TO BE WRONG

It is late and my brain is off. It's like the train of thought derailed some time ago and has chuffed off somehow under its own steam to wherever it likes.

This can happen.

Do you know what I'd like to see? I'd like to see a debate, an actual live debate or TV debate or something, where one side is clearly convinced and persuaded by the other and graciously accepts it.

I'm not saying that they should suddenly reverse everything and switch complete allegiances - nope, I'm just saying that I'd like to see a debate where someone goes through such an arc of persuasion that you can tell they've been won over on a point by their adversary - and more so, that they start to admit it.

Of course, what actually happens is that persuasion is a much slower and more difficult process - and there's so much weight and pressure behind the gladiatorial contests we see on the box. If persuasion happens, it happens slowly and it happens outside. 

Everyone who's ever had an argument knows this. It's when you leave the door slammed behind you and you sit out in the cold, stewing and muttering to yourself, that the persuasion might really kick in - it's never in the heat of the debate itself. In fact in a lot of cases (and sadly so) it takes years before the exile can return to the warmth with a melted heart and a mouth that crumples uneasily into 'I am sorry - you were right; I was wrong...'

It can be a long time before persuasion reaches your heart and your head. For some it never happens.

That's why I don't think I'm likely to see it. I'd like to though. I'd like to see a brave politician suddenly realise something and admit that they were wrong in the face of logical questioning, instead of weaselling out of the truth with carefully prepared phrases.

It takes some vulnerability to do it, right? Because we all like to be correct. We derive a great deal of power and identity from our correctness. When those things are challenged, we defend ourselves, we return fire and we protect everything we stand for. We just can't help taking it just a bit too personally sometimes.

But do we need to? After all, we're all learning how to be in this world together. It's pointless pretending I have all the answers, and it's arrogant beyond belief to assume I'm right about everything I've got lodged in my head. If anything, progress happens when we debate, discuss, and argue together. So let's argue, let's talk, let's push each other further!

Here's my goal then: I want to be thoroughly wrong about stuff. I want to be shot down in flames, especially when I'm the most determined to be right. I want to argue my case and believe in myself, right up to the point where I realise I was wrong. Then I want to be strong enough for two things; I want to be able to apologise and I want to be teachable enough to learn from my mistakes. In addition, I want to be able to be graciously right when it turns out that others were wrong. I'm not there yet. I get smug and self-satisfied. I don't want to be like that any more.

I know it's late and I know I'm letting my brain go freewheeling, but this feels like a great way to change the world, one argument at a time, don't you think? So, how about it, this revolution of the incorrect, this awakening of the obviously persuaded... Are you fed up with having to pretend to be right? Are you with me?

You can disagree if you like. I'd actually really like that.