Stubborn and ardent clinging to one's opinion is the best proof

Host: The late afternoon light filtered through the dusty café window, casting long shadows on the worn wooden floors. The quiet hum of the world outside seemed far away, muffled by the warmth inside. Jack and Jeeny sat across from each other, their coffee cups between them, the steam rising in soft curls, blending with the dense atmosphere of their conversation. Jack’s expression was tight, his fingers tapping restlessly against the side of his cup. Jeeny, on the other hand, was calm, her gaze fixed on him with a quiet intensity, as if waiting for him to say something.

Jeeny: “You know, Jack, I’ve been thinking about a quote I read recently from Michel de Montaigne. He said, ‘Stubborn and ardent clinging to one’s opinion is the best proof of stupidity.’ What do you think? Do you agree with him? Is stubbornness really a sign of ignorance?”

Jack: He chuckled, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Ah, Montaigne. The man who thought everyone else was stupid. I’m not sure I buy it. Sometimes, stubbornness is just conviction. You don’t change your mind because someone else tells you to. If you believe in something, you stand by it, no matter what anyone else says. Isn’t that the whole point of having an opinion in the first place?” His eyes locked onto Jeeny’s, his voice taking on a more challenging tone. “Or are you telling me that you’re always willing to change your mind the second someone says you’re wrong?”

Host: The light from the window seemed to flicker as Jeeny shifted in her seat, her expression unmoved, though the room around them seemed to grow heavier with the tension. Her fingers curled around her coffee cup, the warmth from the ceramic matching the quiet heat of her thoughts.

Jeeny: “I’m not saying you have to change your mind just because someone challenges you, Jack. But there’s a difference between conviction and obstinacy. When you cling to an opinion just for the sake of winning a debate, or because you’re too afraid to admit that you might be wrong—that’s stupidity. It’s like walking around with blinders on, never taking in anything beyond your own view. Stubbornness doesn’t make you strong, Jack. It makes you narrow-minded.”

Jack: He leaned back, his expression hardening, as though he were preparing for a battle of words. “I don’t know if I’d go that far, Jeeny. Sometimes, the world’s full of noise, full of people trying to pull you in a thousand different directions. If you don’t hold firm to your beliefs, what’s left? Are you just supposed to change your opinion every time someone else has a better argument? That’s just a way to lose yourself in everyone else’s ideas.”

Host: The air in the café seemed to thicken, the quiet clatter of dishes and distant conversations fading as the weight of their words filled the space between them. Jeeny’s gaze remained steady, her voice calm but firm.

Jeeny: “I’m not talking about losing yourself, Jack. I’m talking about growth. It’s about being open enough to acknowledge that sometimes we’re wrong, that our opinions aren’t always the best ones. Stubbornness doesn’t leave room for that. It keeps you stuck in the same place, refusing to consider that the world might have something better to offer. It’s narrow, it’s limiting, and yes, in that way, it’s a sign of ignorance.”

Jack: “But isn’t there something to be said for consistency? I mean, think about it. In a world that’s always changing, where opinions are always shifting, wouldn’t it be foolish to just flip-flop every time someone makes a decent point? There’s value in being sure of who you are, of what you believe. Otherwise, you’re just getting swept along by the wind, letting other people tell you who you should be, what you should think.”

Jeeny: “There’s a difference between conviction and close-mindedness, Jack. Conviction comes from a place of thought, from understanding why you believe what you do. Stubbornness is just holding on because you’re afraid of being wrong, or worse, afraid of being vulnerable. But the truth is, when you’re willing to listen, when you’re willing to question your own beliefs, that’s where the real strength is. It’s humbling, but it’s also freeing. You can still stand firm on your beliefs, but only if you’ve taken the time to truly understand them. Otherwise, you’re just clinging to something blindly, and that’s not strength. That’s ignorance.”

Host: The room seemed to still, the air between them crackling with the intensity of their words. Outside, the street lights flickered to life, casting long shadows across the floor. Jack’s hand rested on the table, his fingers tapping in a rhythm, as if he were considering Jeeny’s point, though he wasn’t ready to yield just yet.

Jack: “So you’re saying that if I stand firm in my opinion, even after thinking it through, I’m being stupid?” His voice was laced with skepticism, but there was an undercurrent of something softer—maybe doubt. “I get that you’re all about being open-minded, but sometimes, stubbornness is just resilience. It’s about not letting the world tear you down, especially when you know you’re right.”

Jeeny: “It’s not about being right, Jack. It’s about being willing to be wrong. It’s about having the courage to question your own beliefs, to see things from another perspective. Stubbornness is what stops you from growing, from becoming better. If you can’t admit when you’re wrong, you’ll always stay stuck in your own little world, and that’s the worst kind of ignorance.”

Host: The light in the café had grown dimmer now, the evening wrapping the world in a soft, almost intimate darkness. The weight of their exchange hung in the air, neither willing to fully back down, but both feeling the truth in each other’s words. They sat in silence for a moment, the clinking of cups and murmurs from other tables becoming the only sounds in the room.

Jack: “I see your point,” he said quietly, his voice a little softer now, as though the sharpness of the conversation had worn off, leaving behind the rawness of the truth they were both circling around. “Maybe stubbornness does make you blind, but I still think there’s a time when you’ve got to hold your ground. Maybe it’s about knowing when to stand firm, and when to let go.”

Jeeny: She smiled gently, the warmth of her expression softening the last of the tension in the room. “Exactly. Strength isn’t about refusing to change your mind, Jack. It’s about being strong enough to question it, to grow. And when you do, you’ll find that you’re more certain than ever about the things that really matter.”

Host: The air had cleared, the last of the heat between them fading into a quiet understanding. Jack’s fingers relaxed on his cup, and Jeeny sat back, the calm between them a sign that their conversation had reached an unspoken resolution. The world outside had darkened, but inside, the warmth of their words lingered, the truth of their debate still echoing in the space between them.