Not as a programmer who deals with logic from morning till night (and of course, night till morning), but as someone who, ever since I cleaned up EL from BL, has preferred logic over other perspectives, I’ve encountered several situations that made me realize logic isn’t always the best answer to problems and events. These things happen more in the military than outside, and I won’t talk about that since it’s the real-world stuff.

Scenario One

My friend was upset because his partner had been quiet and distant during a trip they went on. I knew the answer. It’s like when you go to a restaurant with friends and order food, you feel like your friends’ dishes are better than yours. My mistake was telling him this, and he got so upset that it took months to get him back to normal. That’s when I realized that sometimes, speaking logically can upset the other person, so you might need to just stay silent.

Scenario Two

One of my friends is deeply caught up in narcissism or self-obsession. With this person, anything you say that contradicts their thoughts, behaviors, or worldview becomes a deadly mistake that can drive you almost insane. In the past, when I had the patience for these pointless arguments [and thought it was my duty to convince all of humanity], I would sit patiently and refute each fallacy one by one. Later, I realized that saying “you’re right” is the lifeline and joy of existence.

And a few other scenarios.

Through these experiences, I gradually learned that logic isn’t always effective. It can work, yes. But it comes with consequences. In the first scenario, speaking logically cost me a friendship. In the second, it made me want to bang my head against a wall, and the other scenarios nearly pushed me to the brink. Often, you need to consider what the consequences of speaking or acting logically might be in a situation, and ultimately what you will gain. If the scales aren’t in your favor, you can let go of logic and just smile as you move past the event.