On being wrong - Kathryn Schulz

Summary

In this insightful talk, the speaker explores how humans often get trapped in the illusion of being 'right' and the emotional discomfort of being wrong. Using humorous personal anecdotes and thought-provoking examples, the speaker highlights how cultural and psychological factors shape our resistance to admitting mistakes. By acknowledging our fallibility, we open the door to creativity, learning, and growth. The talk emphasizes the importance of embracing uncertainty and rethinking how we approach knowledge, mistakes, and the unexpected twists of life, ultimately encouraging us to challenge our sense of certainty and find wonder in the unknown.

Takeaways

• 😀 Embracing the possibility of being wrong can be a profound moral, intellectual, and creative leap.
• 😀 The feeling of being 'right' can be misleading, and it often prevents us from realizing when we are wrong.
• 😀 Most of us experience 'error blindness'—the inability to recognize when we're wrong until it's too late.
• 😀 The emotional discomfort of being wrong (dread, embarrassment) often leads us to avoid confronting our mistakes.
• 😀 Cultural influences, like those from childhood education, teach us to fear mistakes and associate being wrong with failure.
• 😀 Society often treats those who make mistakes as 'lazy' or 'dimwitted,' reinforcing a culture of perfectionism.
• 😀 Overconfidence in our own rightness can lead to dangerous outcomes, like medical errors or large-scale disasters.
• 😀 When we believe we are always right, we tend to assume that those who disagree with us are ignorant, incompetent, or malicious.
• 😀 Our capacity to be wrong is a fundamental part of human nature and creativity—it is essential for growth and progress.
• 😀 Life is full of unexpected twists, and embracing our wrongness allows us to experience the wonder and mystery of the world.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the transcript?

The main theme of the transcript revolves around human fallibility, focusing on how people often resist acknowledging when they are wrong, how this affects personal and professional growth, and the consequences of this mindset in society.

What does the speaker's anecdote about the Chinese character on the road represent?

The anecdote about the Chinese character for 'picnic area' represents a humorous example of how people can misunderstand or misinterpret signs or symbols, highlighting the fallibility of human perception and how we can get 'stuck' in the feeling of being right.

Why does the speaker refer to the Looney Tunes coyote and the cliff?

The speaker uses the Looney Tunes coyote metaphor to explain 'error blindness.' Just like the coyote runs off the cliff without realizing it until he looks down, we can be wrong without noticing it, often feeling as though we are on solid ground until it’s too late.

What is 'error blindness,' and how does it relate to the feeling of being right?

'Error blindness' refers to the inability to recognize when we are wrong because there is no internal cue to alert us. This leads to a false sense of certainty, making us feel right even when we are actually wrong.

How does cultural conditioning contribute to the desire to be right?

Cultural conditioning, especially from a young age, teaches us that mistakes are to be avoided at all costs. In school, those who get things wrong are labeled as lazy or incompetent, creating a fear of being wrong that leads people to cling to the feeling of being right to avoid judgment or failure.

What are the consequences of people’s attachment to being right in society?

The attachment to being right can lead to division and conflict. People often dismiss dissenting opinions as ignorant, stupid, or malicious, preventing meaningful dialogue and perpetuating misunderstanding. This can lead to poor decision-making in both personal and professional spheres.

What example does the speaker provide to show the danger of excessive confidence in being right?

The speaker provides the example of a surgeon at a prestigious hospital who, convinced he was on the correct side of the patient, performed surgery on the wrong leg. This demonstrates how overconfidence in being right can have dangerous real-world consequences.

Why does the speaker emphasize that our capacity to be wrong is fundamental to being human?

The speaker emphasizes this to highlight that unlike other animals, humans are uniquely aware of their own limitations and can reflect on past mistakes, which drives creativity, innovation, and learning. The ability to recognize we might be wrong is central to our ability to grow and progress.

How does *This American Life* relate to the theme of being wrong?

*This American Life* showcases stories where things do not go as expected, and the twist or surprise is a key element. The speaker uses this to illustrate how life, much like storytelling, is full of unexpected turns, and the ability to embrace being wrong is what makes those moments meaningful and transformative.

What is the speaker's conclusion about the importance of admitting when we are wrong?

The speaker concludes that admitting when we are wrong is essential for personal and collective growth. Embracing fallibility opens us up to new ideas, enhances creativity, and helps us navigate the complexities of the world with humility and wonder.