We humans, sentient beings that we are (at least the literal meaning of the word if not really), are driven by the ideals of being correct. Always. Everyone you’ve ever known has done everything that they have ever done thinking themselves right.
History is filled with such examples; The Holocaust would have never happened if Hitler didn’t believe, and I mean down to his bones, that he was right and it was all justified.
Bet US thought it was justified to nuke Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Hell US has justified, invading countries for oil, interfering in every other country’s personal business, torching it’s own economy, spying on foreign nationals (including their own allies), killing over 400 innocents with drone raids, and so on and so forth. (but that’s another post)
Take TV shows; breaking bad has a chemistry teacher who cooks meth. And everyone who likes the show loves the guy. How can anyone love a drug dealer? Well, he does what he does for his family and his logic is “Well, if I don’t cook it, then they’ll just get it from somewhere else.” And it goes justified.
That’s like a rapist saying “Hey, if not me, then somebody else would  have assaulted her.”
or a murderer saying ,” S.O.B, would have died eventually, we all do.” (Now, that was deep. or so the girl in the previous example would say)
My point is this, if you don’t think what you’re doing is the proper course of action, then you wouldn’t be doing it. We all think we’re right, always. And not just these hardcore examples I mentioned above, but in general life. Hence the adjective, self-righteous. Right by oneself.
Adults always claim to know what’s best for their kids. Kids know what’s best for them. The girl leading a guy on tells herself that he’s just a friend and hence she’s not using him. The guy (like all guys) is a fool and hopes that it would change eventually. Everyone everywhere, wants to be, or thinks themselves to be right. (Even the douche writing this article, more so than others)
The worse part is, a smart man can justify anything.
What we all should realize is that it’s okay to be wrong. It’s okay to screw up. All of us self-righteous asses, have screwed up big at some point in our lives. Maybe that’s why it’s so difficult to admit being wrong. Nobody wants to play the fool, twice.
Every guy who has ever been involved in a successful relationship learns this at some point. (No need to hoot so hard ladies) When in an argument, I used to drive my point home till she was convinced that I was right. (That or till she was convinced that nothing further can be gained from that argument) So I won most of the times. But the result was that she would always be upset afterwards. And that kind of victory, is no victory. Eventually I realized, (not to mention I took my own not-so-sweet, the guy with an IQ of 75, time) that the only way to really win an argument is by teaming up with your partner and work against the issue. You have to get on the same team as your “enemy” and handle the issue. Just the ISSUE. (Welcome to Couple’s Counseling 101)
Now, even though I don’t win as dramatically, but whenever I do, my wins taste sweeter. Besides being wrong isn’t so bad, everyone needs a little humbling every once in a while. And self-righteousness may help you sleep better at night, but know that you can fool yourself only for so long, and when it hits the fan brother then we all play the fool.
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