Critical Voices Initiative News

Many of us have experienced moments when being "right" seems more important than maintaining relationships or openness to growth. We've all witnessed, perhaps painfully, how the insistence on being right can fracture personal relationships and professional trust. I’ve seen this firsthand within my own family. A relative has distanced himself entirely from family ties due to political disagreements. Sadly, this separation doesn't just impact him—it ripples out, deeply affecting his grown children and the larger family dynamic. I've come to understand that reconciliation can only occur when both sides embrace openness over certainty.

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Why do we cling so tightly to the need to always be right? According to psychologist Leon Festinger’s theory of cognitive dissonance, our minds experience genuine discomfort when holding conflicting ideas or beliefs. To avoid this discomfort, we often dismiss opposing viewpoints rather t...