A Need To Be Right

We’re none of us perfect. This much I know. Still, for as far back as I can remember, I’ve always had the almost compulsive need to be right. Any sort of question that’s up for debate, some small detail that gets overlooked, the name of movie stars that strongly resemble other movie stars and get mistaken for them... In other words, largely stupid stuff.

Still. I can’t help myself. Most recently, it’s been an argument online at one of my favorite sites, about a scene in The Incredibles. I love that movie. Seriously. Love it. There has been a lukewarm discussion about whether or not Mirage had powers or not, based on her sneaky way of seeming to appear out of nowhere. I said no, and backed it up. Then the other guy claimed yes, and backed it up with claims that he ‘watched the scene dozens of times’.

Ugh. I’m already aware that I’m a dork. That much is obvious. And my brother, and others can attest that I will admit when I’m wrong (see a trivial discussion about Finding Nemo. What is it about Pixar, anyway?), but if I think or know I’m right, I can be stubborn as any given mule. I have to be right. And, I have to be right, right now.

This habit of mine used to drive a friend in Richmond up the wall... She was on the deserves-to-be-notorious Short List of people that can actually shut me up. (For the record: Wendy, Tamia, Heather, & Mary.) Drove her loco. Heh.

I know the need to be right stems from, or is closely related to the need to have the last word. I’ve tried to be better about that, and I think I’ve done well. But its ugly cousin still rears his head from time to time. Like today. On the site.

Of course, the sooner this guy accepts the fact that he’s wrong, the sooner we can all get on with our lives…