IS what it took this time. All that preparation for such a little burst of proficiency.
But there’s a reason for it. If you don’t go head-to-head, how do you know what you know, and especially compared to what you merely think you know? How do you know how good you are and how good you merely think you are? Trial and test is important for getting closer to the truth, and away from the self-delusion that the majority of people live by.
It’s the same in argumentation. If you believe strongly in something but never take it up with someone of great intelligence who represents the other side, then on what basis did you arrive at the certainty of your own position? If you want to grow and if you want to be better–at whatever— you must be open to it. Being open to getting better is harder for many people than it seems. If you can recognize that, you can get ahead in whatever you do. Stay open to growth. Fuck routine and stagnation. What’s the point of that?
There are sources of truth everywhere. The ground is truth, and especially hitting it hard. The struggle in the eyes of someone I’m defeating is the truth.
In that “moment of truth”, you have a great opportunity. You can leave them open to growth, or leave them closed. Maybe for good.
Which would you have.
1. For everyone to get better, constantly, closer to the truth, for its own sake. Everyone who gets in the way of that is my enemy.
