“A devotee of Truth may not do anything in deference to convention. He must always hold himself open to correction, and whenever he discovers himself to be wrong he must confess it at all costs and atone for it.”
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About this quote
Loyalty to what's true has to outrank loyalty to habit or reputation. That means treating your own conclusions as provisional, ready to be overturned the moment the evidence turns, and owning a mistake plainly instead of defending it. Convention gets no vote when it's wrong.
When to use it
- A scientist retracts a published finding once new data contradicts it, whatever it costs her standing.
- A father apologizes to his child for a punishment he comes to see was unfair.
- A team lead admits in the meeting that his plan failed rather than quietly blaming outside forces.