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Non-Attachment
I Was Wrong
And other statements of the emotionally mature
I trust people who have the courage to admit that they were wrong. I admire those who are able to open up to new ways of thinking, knowing deep inside that by doing so they may have to let go off deep-seated opinions that are familiar and comforting to them. Opinions that they have confused with their identity.
“I’m a Democrat.” “I’m a Republican.” “ I’m a die-hard capitalist.” “I’m a carnivore.” When a baby emerges from the womb, I don’t believe any OB has ever proclaimed, “It’s a Democrat!” Rather, our sense of who we are is formed by our life experiences, and the “identities” placed upon us by our ancestors and cultures.
We get attached to our views and close our minds to opposing views, for fear that if we allow a new thought to sneak in, our whole worldview along with our identity will collapse. We fear that conceding that the opposing side might have a point, might require us to admit that we were wrong. And so we cling to our ideas, double-down on our arguments.
“People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh
