Personal opinion...

Oddly, it just struck me that all people function from the paradigm of rightness. All people (and to be safe I will re-phrase with most people) believe, consciously or unconsciously, that they are right: opinions, beliefs, and assertions-all are right. I grasp the naturalness of this basic understanding, but its realness just surfaced in my mind. Perhaps most people operate upon this understanding knowingly, but I still find it amazing, but utterly normal. As people grow, mature, they form opinions and beliefs. In some sense, these formations are closely identified with individuals and their personal identity. Thus, it is very difficult for a person to admit wrongness on a point which they themselves have formed and uphold, because their admission can, in some sense, affect their psyche and crumble their identity. The belief or opinion can be so closely linked with the actual person, that to separate the two would be lethal. Hence, the reason for vigilantly and adamantly clinging to ones paradigm of opinion and belief would be to place oneself upon the alter wholly. Opinions do not make the person. Beliefs to not make the person. These things do shape and mold individuals; however, without them people are independent and perfectly able to stand in the knowledge that they are upheld by something far greater than measly opinions...in that everyone is right.