Right or Liked?

Here's an interesting philosophical question that sprung up on me today:

Is it better to be right, or to be liked?

I was reading a book about 'emotionally explosive people' (mostly so I can see what applies to Flame and company) and the author said something about depression that I found especially amusing. To paraphrase, he said that depressives are, more often than not, "right" and accurate in their predictions than so-called "normal" people. To be "normal" means to have a cloud of unfounded optimism and hope springing eternal... (He also said that depression gives depth to the world, hence the preponderence of artist types to tend toward depression.)

Well, I'm not intensely depressed (like I can tell, what with denial, huh?), though I know I'm finding it hard to start certain tasks and finding not-so-much joy in other things I could do. Mild depression, maybe, but I'm still able to move around, putter and enjoy a few things.

Sidetrek, sorry. Back to the real point. From time immemorial, it has been my experience to have a bit of a Cassandra complex.

My predictions are righter, more often than not. I dunno how. I just 'grok' things sometimes. Other times it's careful observation and recall of things that worked and things that didn't.

I suppose one can argue that maybe I'm so self-centered that I view the universe through "me-almost-always-right" coloured glasses.

But sometimes, there are objective facts that can be proven right or wrong, and I'm the one giving the picture perfect recall of the situation.

Case in point, we go for a Crystal Keeper SF today. Everyone else is about lvl 35-36, I'm lvl 41. They request I malefactor down to them 'so that the mobs are the correct level.' Me, I'd assumed I would just auto-malefactor. The respecs are 3-up to the highest level, TF/SFs are always highest lvl skewed. That's why people wait till 16+ in ancient times to do Posi. That's why I clearly remember the Assclowns having so much crazy fun at LVL 10 versus lvl 16 vahzilok. I tell them this.

They insist they're right. They say, we better quit and start the SF again with me malefactored. Ok, I say, not wanting to argue and create more bad blood, knowing very well the malefactor is going to last about 5 seconds after we zone into the first mission.

Sure enuff, the first guy that walks in the door (I hung around outside, not wanting to be blamed for 'spawning' high lvl mobs without the malefactor going in first) screeches 'Lvl 40!'

Ha. You were saying?

They try and rationalize this by staring at their own difficulty level and saying, omg, we are on relentless. The team leader tells them he's on villainous. Oh.

*chuckles*

Now obviously, people who tend to be most often right are correspondingly not often liked.

I suppose we're seen as elitist, arrogant, know-it-all snobs. We tell it as it is, rather than bending reality to spout polite little lies and make small talk. Thanks for shooting the messenger of the hurtful truth.

To a certain point, I can't quite help that I'm more Thinker than Feeler and that logic and the mind is more important than emotions and the heart. I do try not to be so extremist, and make an attempt to be accomodating in places where it's not essential to be correct.

I just can't help but keep noticing that I'm usually ignored, forgotten, overlooked and so on.

Maybe it's a gender thing and a name thing. A greek-ish name is hard to remember. Males see other perceived males as competition. Cross-compare it to Juliana - easy to remember name, female=no threat, equals 'wow/awe/dayum/marry me' when she's always right.

Come to think of it, ditto Khelf. He's male, he's a threat, he's that damn elitist Ascendere bastard, so he's more ignored or faced with hostility rather than worshipped.

Weird.

Anyhow, the question still stands. It's probably an excellent debate question.

You can be liked and many many people will follow you. Even when you're charging in the absolute wrong direction and barking up the wrong tree and chomping on a red herring. Not very effective if your measuring stick is results, but I suppose there will be good feelings all around.

An extreme example would be Hitler. Now you're completely morally wrong, but well-liked enough that people will follow you into atrocity.

Yet there is power in groups. One can achieve many great things in a team that a solo individual would not be able to accomplish.

When you're right, you're on solid ground. Be it moral, or personal principles, or even society's dictates.

But sometimes people stone the prophet. Or you end up living alone in the wilderness like a hermit, following your own path. Or you just end up doing things by your lonesome.

Sometimes you can even get things done faster and more effectively alone than with hangers-on and like-buddies.

Hrmph.

Good food for thought anyhow.