People make errors all the time. There's no denying that. But sometimes, people just won't admit it. This can be done in a variety of ways that would bring Wal-Mart to its knees - Defiant denial, deflection of blame, breaching of opposing credibility, ignorance, and so on.

You see, admitting mistakes is more than just distinguishing between yes and no, right or wrong, white or black, Macdonald's and KFC, Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie(Eh.. they're both wrong actually), Godzilla and King Kong, the Care Bears and the Power Rangers or pretty girls and smart girls. When you admit you make a mistake, you're not just admitting you made a mistake. You admit that you're capable of making a mistake. You demonstrate your lack of decision-making competency. You display a lack of luck. Most of all, you present the possibility that it might happen again.

Yet, there are altogether valid reasons for such pompous behaviour. Some mmothers feel they absolutely need to be good role models to their kids, and one aspect of being a good person to emulate is never being wrong. Others do it to save time that would otherwise be spend arguing with their kids, though the "Don't talk to me like that","I'm your parent, do not question me" and other such arguments have always been flimsy at best. Sometimes, it's a question of national pride. If Bush admits the US is wrong, he is also admitting US inadequacy, which would then threaten American stranglehold on World Power.

However, conflict arises when both parties decide that no quarter shall be given. So, to settle their argument, other methods are taken, some useful, some completely irrelevant. A debate is not pitting countering ideologies against each other as much as it is a contest of merciless brainwashing and browbeating. War isn't a test of ruling methods, it's simply a way of punishing others for having opposing views, sometimes by nothing but sheer overwhelmage. Wonder why nobody was ever able to conquer Russia?

Sadly, might almost always never means right, because the usage of might is wrong for the most part. So, what happens is that a conflict is never "a man-to-man thing", "grown-up's business", "child's play" or "Ultraman's final 3 minutes in which he shall mercilessly kick thge bad guy's butt". External parties get sucked in like genitals to a hooker's mouth, whether they like it or not. People die as a result of overbearing monarchs with overinfalted egos that threaten to brust in a river of fire at any moment. You could say that scientific advances have been made as a result of people eager to prove themselves tothe world, but the fact is that egos have caused far more destruction than creation. Not to mention they're a pain in the ass to deal with, too.

An ego is the most destructive thing man can have right now. Stupid egos.