One additional quote from Robert Greene. It's from his book "Mastery" speaking about an academic named Everett who was being harassed by other academics.
"When Everett published his first book, Don't sleep, There are Snakes, some of these linguists wrote letter to critics who were going to review it, tryint to dissuade them from even discussing his material--it was too far below academic standards, they clamed. They went to far as to put pressure on NPR, which awas about todo a large segment on Everett. The show was canceled.
At first Everett could not help but become emotional. What his detractors were bringing up in their arguemnts did not discredit his theory , but merely re ealed some possible weak points. They seemed less interested in the truth and more concernted with making him look bad. Quieckly, however, he moved past this emotional stage and began to use these attacks for his own purpose--they forc ed him to make sure everything he wrote was airtight;they make him rethink and strenghthen his arguments. He could hear their possible criticisms in his head, and he addressed then one by one in his subsequent writing. This make him a better wrtiher and thinker, and the controversy they stirred up only increased the sales of "Don't Sleep, There are Snakes, winning many converts to his argument in the process. In the end, he came to welcome the attacks of his enemies for how much they had improved his work and toughened him up...
When it comes to practical life, what should matter is getting long-term results, and getting the work done in as efficient and creative a manner as possible. That should be the supreme value that guides people's actions.
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