It's the time of year when we all start to think about the things we'd like to do better. New Year's resolutions are all about self-improvement, setting targets and doing the right thing. But what if the route to personal happiness isn't bound up with things we want to do right, but embracing what we get wrong?
That's the idea behind a fascinating new book by the self-styled "wrongologist" Kathryn Schulz. Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margins of Error has deservedly won praise (and award nominations) for its fantastically readable exploration into our capacity for making mistakes. Although it features psychology, philosophy, scholarship and research, it's not some dry, academic investigation into the reasons behind our errors. Being Wrong is instead a drily witty and endearingly wise book, which also revels in referencing Jonathan Franzen and the merits or otherwise of rhubarb pie (Schulz loves the former and hates the latter - and cannot abide the thought she might be wrong). A hugely enjoyable investigation into what we're really like and how we could be better, it's perfect reading for this time of year.
"I hope so," says this American journalist of her first book. "Everybody, myself included, should spend some time in 2011 saying 'you know what, I'm so sorry, I'm wrong on this one. I have no idea what I'm talking about'. I genuinely think it would not only make us all kinder to one another, but also happier.
"Only half an hour ago, for example, I had a proper argument with my partner about the plural of dwarf! We all waste so much time getting into these disputes about who's right and wrong, getting into power struggles about the most insignificant things. And what does it do, apart from make the 'victor' momentarily gleeful? So yes, we should definitely resolve to embrace our inner fallibility."
But being wrong, Schulz says, is not something we're very good at. It might be a deeply human characteristic - we're all familiar with the cringeing moment when we realise we've done or said something completely ridiculous - but that doesn't mean we know how to deal with it. No one is perfect, and yet for the most part we all wallow in an unshakeable belief that we're right.
"Absolutely. And that's an enduring source of fascination to me," says Schulz. "We all understand that to be human is to make mistakes, to be wrong sometimes. But I'm interested in what happens to that understanding when our own specific beliefs are on the line. To a great extent, the book is about trying to work out that gap: we know we're wrong, but somehow we can't or won't accept it."
Or, indeed, we deliberately forget we were wrong in the first place. Try asking a friend if they make mistakes - they'll probably say, self-deprecatingly, that they have erred countless times. But ask them the specifics of the last mistake they made and it's highly unlikely they will recall it.
"We have an amazing, sophisticated bag of tricks to ward off that sense of our own fallibility," agrees Schulz. "I was round a friend's house recently and we were talking about cooking. She told me she really enjoyed it because she made mistakes in the recipe all the time, but she was 'never wrong'. And that stopped me in my tracks.
"I think she was trying to say that cooking was a domain in which it was acceptable to make mistakes because she was experimenting, she was learning something. For her, that stopped her from being wrong. I actually disagree with that: I think we need to admit we are wrong but retain the good things that come out of it. Maybe we could handle our mistakes better that way."
So much for the humdrum errors we make every day. The 21st century has been characterised by major mistakes on a global scale; the hunt for the non-existent Weapons of Mass Destruction; Bernie Madoff and the billion-dollar fraud; the financial crisis. The beauty of Being Wrong is that it tackles these issues too, linking them into the main narrative without ever becoming an encyclopaedia of famous mistakes. So is there a sense that we're becoming, for want of a better term, "wronger?
"Wronger! I love that term," laughs Schulz. "I've called it a wrongness zeitgeist before, and I do feel like there's perhaps a moment of fascination about all this. And yes, it's probably because, as you point out, there have been a series of mistakes so shocking they're grabbing our attention.
"Are we 'wronger', though? That's more difficult to measure. Part of our make up has always been that we're susceptible to errors of a vast range, and that hasn't changed. There's a steady state of wrongness and fluctuations within that across the decades and centuries, of course. But, you know, I do think we live in a culture that cares about at least trying to get things right."
Despite everything, though, Schulz isn't about to give anyone determined to revel in making mistakes a get-out clause - much like happiness, wrongness isn't something you can chase. It just happens. So, with this book, Schulz isn't encouraging people to be wrong, just not to worry about it so much when they are.
"Yes, that's right," she agrees. "I mean, it's inevitable that we're going to be wrong, and frankly we don't need encouragement to make mistakes! But when we are wrong, we can think of it as a precursor to our own advancement, to better insight. To progress. That awareness of wrongness is invaluable in terms of what we can do with it."
Which is a nice thought to start the year with. Just don't give Being Wrong as a gift - unless you think the intended recipient can handle its rather obvious implication.
Ÿ Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margins of Error is out now
The biog
Born: High Wycombe, England
Favourite vehicle: One with solid axels
Favourite camping spot: Anywhere I can get to.
Favourite road trip: My first trip to Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan. The desert they have over there is different and the language made it a bit more challenging.
Favourite spot in the UAE: Al Dhafra. It’s unique, natural, inaccessible, unspoilt.
The Saudi Cup race card
1 The Jockey Club Local Handicap (TB) 1,800m (Dirt) $500,000
2 The Riyadh Dirt Sprint (TB) 1,200m (D) $1.500,000
3 The 1351 Turf Sprint 1,351m (Turf) $1,000,000
4 The Saudi Derby (TB) 1600m (D) $800,000
5 The Neom Turf Cup (TB) 2,100m (T) $1,000,000
6 The Obaiya Arabian Classic (PB) 2,000m (D) $1,900,000
7 The Red Sea Turf Handicap (TB) 3,000m (T) $2,500,000
8 The Saudi Cup (TB) 1,800m (D) $20,000,000
Match info
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Liverpool v Porto, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE)
Matches can be watched on BeIN Sports
UAE WARRIORS RESULTS
Featherweight
Azouz Anwar (EGY) beat Marcelo Pontes (BRA)
TKO round 2
Catchweight 90kg
Moustafa Rashid Nada (KSA) beat Imad Al Howayeck (LEB)
Split points decision
Welterweight
Gimbat Ismailov (RUS) beat Mohammed Al Khatib (JOR)
TKO round 1
Flyweight (women)
Lucie Bertaud (FRA) beat Kelig Pinson (BEL)
Unanimous points decision
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROU) beat Regelo Enumerables Jr (PHI)
TKO round 1
Catchweight 100kg
Marc Vleiger (NED) beat Mohamed Ali (EGY)
Rear neck choke round 1
Featherweight
James Bishop (NZ) beat Mark Valerio (PHI)
TKO round 2
Welterweight
Abdelghani Saber (EGY) beat Gerson Carvalho (BRA)
TKO round 1
Middleweight
Bakhtiyar Abbasov (AZE) beat Igor Litoshik (BLR)
Unanimous points decision
Bantamweight
Fabio Mello (BRA) beat Mark Alcoba (PHI)
Unanimous points decision
Welterweight
Ahmed Labban (LEB) v Magomedsultan Magomedsultanov (RUS)
TKO round 1
Bantamweight
Trent Girdham (AUS) beat Jayson Margallo (PHI)
TKO round 3
Lightweight
Usman Nurmagomedov (RUS) beat Roman Golovinov (UKR)
TKO round 1
Middleweight
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) beat Steve Kennedy (AUS)
Submission round 2
Lightweight
Dan Moret (USA) v Anton Kuivanen (FIN)
TKO round 2
Company Profile
Company name: Fine Diner
Started: March, 2020
Co-founders: Sami Elayan, Saed Elayan and Zaid Azzouka
Based: Dubai
Industry: Technology and food delivery
Initial investment: Dh75,000
Investor: Dtec Startupbootcamp
Future plan: Looking to raise $400,000
Total sales: Over 1,000 deliveries in three months
Fighter profiles
Gabrieli Pessanha (Brazil)
Reigning Abu Dhabi World Pro champion in the 95kg division, virtually unbeatable in her weight class. Known for her pressure game but also dangerous with her back on the mat.
Nathiely de Jesus, 23, (Brazil)
Two-time World Pro champion renowned for her aggressive game. She is tall and most feared by her opponents for both her triangles and arm-bar attacks.
Thamara Ferreira, 24, (Brazil)
Since her brown belt days, Ferreira has been dominating the 70kg, in both the World Pro and the Grand Slams. With a very aggressive game.
Samantha Cook, 32, (Britain)
One of the biggest talents coming out of Europe in recent times. She is known for a highly technical game and bringing her A game to the table as always.
Kendall Reusing, 22, (USA)
Another young gun ready to explode in the big leagues. The Californian resident is a powerhouse in the -95kg division. Her duels with Pessanha have been highlights in the Grand Slams.
Martina Gramenius, 32, (Sweden)
Already a two-time Grand Slam champion in the current season. Gramenius won golds in the 70kg, in both in Moscow and Tokyo, to earn a spot in the inaugural Queen of Mats.
Manchester United v Club America
When: Thursday, 9pm Arizona time (Friday UAE, 8am)
The Sheikh Zayed Future Energy Prize
This year’s winners of the US$4 million Sheikh Zayed Future Energy Prize will be recognised and rewarded in Abu Dhabi on January 15 as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainable Week, which runs in the capital from January 13 to 20.
From solutions to life-changing technologies, the aim is to discover innovative breakthroughs to create a new and sustainable energy future.
Sanchez's club career
2005-2006: Cobreloa
2006-2011 Udinese
2006-2007 Colo-Colo (on loan)
2007-2008 River Plate (on loan)
2011-2014 Barcelona
2014–Present Arsenal
Vaccine Progress in the Middle East
Results
Catchweight 60kg: Mohammed Al Katheeri (UAE) beat Mostafa El Hamy (EGY) TKO round 3
Light Heavyweight: Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) no contest Kevin Oumar (COM) Unintentional knee by Oumer
Catchweight 73kg: Yazid Chouchane (ALG) beat Ahmad Al Boussairy (KUW) Unanimous decision
Featherweight: Faris Khaleel Asha (JOR) beat Yousef Al Housani (UAE) TKO in round 2 through foot injury
Welterweight: Omar Hussein (JOR) beat Yassin Najid (MAR); Split decision
Middleweight: Yousri Belgaroui (TUN) beat Sallah Eddine Dekhissi (MAR); Round-1 TKO
Lightweight: Abdullah Mohammed Ali Musalim (UAE) beat Medhat Hussein (EGY); Triangle choke submission
Welterweight: Abdulla Al Bousheiri (KUW) beat Sofiane Oudina (ALG); Triangle choke Round-1
Lightweight: Mohammad Yahya (UAE) beat Saleem Al Bakri (JOR); Unanimous decision
Bantamweight: Ali Taleb (IRQ) beat Nawras Abzakh (JOR); TKO round-2
Catchweight 63kg: Rany Saadeh (PAL) beat Abdel Ali Hariri (MAR); Unanimous decision
Community Shield info
Where, when and at what time Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday at 5pm (UAE time)
Arsenal line up (3-4-2-1) Petr Cech; Rob Holding, Per Mertesacker, Nacho Monreal; Hector Bellerin, Mohamed Elneny, Granit Xhaka, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain; Alex Iwobi, Danny Welbeck; Alexandre Lacazette
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger
Chelsea line up (3-4-2-1) Thibaut Courtois; Cesar Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Gary Cahill; Victor Moses, Cesc Fabregas, N'Golo Kante, Marcos Alonso; Willian, Pedro; Michy Batshuayi
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte
Referee Bobby Madley
A Prayer Before Dawn
Director: Jean-Stephane Sauvaire
Starring: Joe Cole, Somluck Kamsing, Panya Yimmumphai
Three stars
AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Tim Paine (captain), Sean Abbott, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Will Pucovski, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner
RESULTS
Manchester United 2
Anthony Martial 30'
Scott McTominay 90 6'
Manchester City 0
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last 16, first leg
Liverpool v Bayern Munich, midnight (Wednesday), BeIN Sports
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
RACE CARD
6.30pm: Baniyas Group 2 (PA) Dh 97,500 (Dirt) 1,400m.
7.05pm Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,200m
7.40pm Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,400m
8.15pm Handicap (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,400m
8.50pm Rated Conditions (TB) Dh 120,000 (D) 1,600m
9.25pm Handicap (TB) Dh 95,000 (D) 1,200m
10pm Handicap (TB) Dh 85,000 (D) 2,000m
