Have you ever encountered a concept so intriguing that it unsettles you to the point of wondering why it isn’t as widely known as it should be? Recently, I came across a statement by comedian Emo Phillips that did exactly that for me:
“I used to think that the brain was the most wonderful organ in my body. Then I realized who was telling me this.”
How many times have we genuinely believed that we may be wrong? Not many, I assure you. More often, we only realize that we were wrong after witnessing the consequences of our actions—or our words. Every human being carries an ego: a deep belief in self-priority in thought and action. It takes a great deal of courage to suppress this truth from within.
I’m not suggesting that self-confidence, self-love, or self-prioritization are bad things. I’m simply posing a question: how sure are you that what you believe about yourself—or about a certain subject—is right? Or, for that matter, that what someone else believes is wrong?
I mean, you have been wrong before, right? Another difficult thing to admit. People would rather attribute past mistakes to other people, circumstances, or facts that were “unknown at the time.” Rarely do you encounter someone who openly admits a mistake without explanation or blame-shifting. Why is this so? That quote lingered with me and pushed me into reflection—both about my own experiences and those of the people around me.
Here’s the logic I want to pose: whether you can admit it or not, it is highly probable that you have been wrong before—whether it was your fault or not. What makes you think that this time you are right? You may even swear by the belief that you are right. Yet it is often at this very point of certainty that we make promises we cannot keep, plans we cannot fulfill, and set expectations that cannot be met.
We project this onto others as well. We expect from them things they cannot deliver, while firmly believing that it is obvious they should be able to. And when they fail to meet these expectations, the pain cuts deeper than the disappointment itself. What gets bruised is something larger—the ego. Your ego.
So, what is my point in this brief moment of reflection? This question becomes even more dangerous when beliefs are no longer personal, but collective—when they shape politics, history, and the lives of others. My point is simple: always leave room for other views and possibilities. Even though, at the peak of your belief, you may be inclined to ignore them, I urge you to ask yourself what makes the other person so confident in their “stupidity”—at least in your eyes—when to them it is genius. Allow yourself a moment to critically and objectively examine the subject before forming a solid conclusion. And even after forming that conclusion—whether altered or not—leave room for unfulfilled expectations. This alone can save you from unnecessary ego-bruising.
This is not an attempt to diminish your self-esteem or confidence. In fact, it protects it. There are times when we truly need to believe in ourselves. But there are also times when we must listen closely to the thoughts of others. After all, they are human too—with perspectives and views, just like you. They exist.