Goethe's phrase revisited

In 2025, a German linguist reinterpreted a phrase by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe to explain why people consistently strive to be right in both professional and online settings. The phrase, "We are all so narrow-minded that we always believe we are right," remains relevant, as highlighted by the German magazine DER SPIEGEL in its SPIEGEL Wissen edition on November 6, 2025.

Linguist defines the term Rechthaber

Kersten Sven Roth, a linguist and professor at the Otto-von-Guericke University of Magdeburg, distinguishes between being right and wanting to be right. The German term Rechthaber, used to describe such individuals, refers to those who seek to be right at all costs, often refusing arguments that might lead them to reconsider their stance.

Social interactions favor cohesion

The behavior of wanting to be right is not necessarily constant in daily life, according to Roth. Conversations typically serve to maintain social bonds rather than to prove others wrong. People often nod, encourage, rephrase, and complete others' sentences to preserve cohesion.

Conflict intensifies the need to be right

However, the need to hold onto one's opinion becomes more pronounced during confrontations. Professional meetings, tense negotiations, or public debates can become arenas where individuals seek to defend their positions. In these situations, admitting an error can feel like losing ground, shifting the focus from the topic at hand to the individual's position relative to others.

Focus on winning, not truth

"A Rechthaber is not necessarily interested in what is right, but in the fact of winning," summarizes the analysis by DER SPIEGEL on Roth's statements. This distinction highlights the psychological and social dynamics behind the desire to assert one's correctness.