In an
interview with author and entrepreneur Tim Ferriss, professional poker player Annie Duke says that when you’re trying to find out what’s true about some issue, it helps to seek out dissenting ideas and opinions.
People who can honestly and productively disagree with you are allies in your search for the truth.
For Duke, this is especially true with strongly held views: “The fact is that when two extreme opinions meet, the truth lies generally somewhere in the middle.”
Without exposure to the other side, you will naturally drift toward one extreme and away from the truth.
What holds many people back from this approach is the fear of being wrong. But as Duke puts it, instead of being fearful, you should feel good about truly hearing those who disagree with you.
After all, “being wrong is just an opportunity to find more of the truth.”