Do you have to admit to your mistakes before you can learn from them?

[Sevenpointfive]

Isn't this something we're taught as kids? Isn't scary to see that adults do this all of the time. I don't know what this means? When did admitting your mistake become a bad thing? Is it because we can sue people? I don't think so, because people do it over little things to. Tell me what you've learned on the subject. Do most people admit and learn?

[Gobbyjobby52]

For me i don't usually do this as it backfires in some guilt tripping from family, but if they give me grief for something i did that was wrong that's my cue to not do it again and reflect and adapt onwards. With strangers though it's not necessary as again if people treat us poorly after what we did it's a cue to change but it can be important for keeping good rapport and it always comes with the benefit of learning our blunders and moving on. In my experience my family tend to view us more unfavourably than strangers who haven't known us for as long and usually have a fluid view of us unless they are rigid themselves or have a bad first impression of us. Because familiarity can breed contempt.

[Sevenpointfive]

it's hard to be mad at the people you are supposed to care about. but it's that closeness that allows you to talk through the issue because there really is no other choice. it doesn't mean things will change, but you're able to see their point of view.

so their mistake isn't a mistake in their eyes just like everyone else until someone tells them it was. well you gotta back it up or they'll continue in their ways.

[msc545]

Well, yes, it's hard to have a learning experience if you can't admit that you either have learned something you didn't know before or that you made a mistake and figured out what the right way was to do it.

[Sevenpointfive]

i suppose some people are flat out liars who don't care about the consequences as long as they aren't looking like a fool? and then it has nothing to do with learning, or they've learned that lying about their mistake is just as easy for them?

[msc545]

Maybe so, but that seems far afield from your basic question here.

[Sevenpointfive]

if i had asked the original question, i'd know that answer, so i break it down and get to at least one of the root questions and ask that. based on your opinion i tried to expand on the fundamental question that i asked originally because there's a lot more than one answer since there are several circumstances.

[msc545]

ok...

[purplepoppy]

Perhaps if we didn't gloat when people did then more people would. It seems to me admitting mistakes is seem as weakness by many and the correct course of action is to plough on and rubbish anyone who rightly points out you're an idiot.

[Sevenpointfive]

i suppose there are many types of mistakes and who makes them will determine what happens. this might be why we were separated as kids into 3 levels, sometimes 4. gifted/honors/advanced, average, kids with learning disabilities and mentally challenged, so the making fun of mistakes isn't so detrimental. everyone in the class could have made that mistake. unfortunately, we don't have those levels outside of school. after school we're mostly seen as the same intelligence.

the intelligence game was pretty big at my school. everyone would play to dominate other people's intelligence and it made me sick. i had some gifted friends and some with learning disabilites. we didn't play the intelligence game so we could make jokes with each other without bruising anyone's ego. it was nice not having to prove anything.

[Nikki1989]

Yes and no.

Occasionally you don’t consciously “admit” anything. You just see that something didn’t work, adjust your approach, and move on.

[Sevenpointfive]

on a personal level yes. when your actions have consequences and affect people?

[Spencer10]

I agree with much of what you say... admitting mistakes should be a strength not a weakness.

[Noredcarpet]

Yes its about growth. It is not weakness or being inferior. It's strenght.

[exitseven]

I may admit them to myself and vow never to repeat them but lets face it, @exitseven never makes mistakes.

[Shiprex]

I think just learning from things you do rather than consider them mistakes is better.

[888theGreat]

I admitted my mistake, voting for Trump!

[Sevenpointfive]

a lot of people forget how mean the democrats were to trump. they were doing everything they could to make him look bad but never gave any proof. they made him an underdog because he was on the people's side. he was nothing like he is now. he broke promises because he's dying and he loves money.

the mistake was voting for a person so old into a second term. that's a nothing to lose situation. that's probably not going to happen again.