I Am Always Right

Self-righteous: Righteous, proper, moral, etc. in one's own opinion; Pharisaical.

I've got a friend in The Program . . . OK, I just got stuck there, on that thought, temporarily. Maybe that's a statement that stands on its own two legs. Maybe I can't expound further on that statement. Or maybe I only have one friend and that's why I locked up.

Anyway, I have known this guy for a hell of a long time and we go to the same institution meeting each week. It's been an important meeting for me over the years and my relationship with this guy has been important, too. He is not, however, someone that I would have been friends with in the Earth People world. His opinions on politics, religion, moral values, and just about every other inflammatory, controversial topic are diametrically opposed to mine. They are exactly opposite of mine. If you wanted to know in great detail what I do not believe in you could talk to this dude and reject every thing he said. And by everything, I mean EVERYTHING. I can't think of one thing that we agree on.

I've learned in my recovery that I'm not always right. I'm not the smartest guy in the world. I'm not even the smartest guy in this here coffee shop. I don't have all of the answers. Most of the answers but not all of them. Sometimes if I shut up for a minute and listen I learn things. I try to see where other people are coming from. I change my mind from time to time. I see how nuanced the world is. It's not all black and white, right and wrong.

I at least try not to be so self-righteous about everything. It's one thing to think my opinions are unassailable -- it's another thing altogether to treat people who disagree with me in my beloved sneering, dismissive, arrogant way.

Hey, I'm as self-righteous as the next guy and I'd love to show you the error of your ways and convert you to my way of thinking, which is, of course, right. You know, I don't like people telling me what to think -- why do I think you want to be bombarded with my point of view?

Sometimes I show respect for other people by keeping my mouth shut. If I know something irritates you, I can keep quiet. This knowledge used to be the most potent ammunition I could load into my gun. I dug at the soft spots. I picked off the cripples. If you were unhappy I felt better about myself.

I was a little worked up today.