When it comes to being wrong, there are several ways that J.K. Rowling is absolutely doing it right. Here are six things J.K. Rowling gets right about being wrong.
1. She is already extremely rich
With an estimated net worth of around a billion dollars, J.K. Rowling is the wealthiest fiction writer of all time. If she were still a struggling writer, being outspoken about her problematic views could definitely hurt her earning potential—and let’s face it, most writers can use any cash they can get their hands on. Not J.K., though! She has so much money that she can just invest it and make even more, so she doesn’t have to worry if her book sales take a hit.
2. She seems to enjoy being wrong
Being wrong isn’t all fun and games. It can lead to being socially ostracized and seen as a total dumbass. But one way that J.K. Rowling’s wrongness game is on point is that she seems to fully love being incorrect. While some people hide their wrongness as a secret shame, either keeping it to themselves or only expressing it anonymously or privately, J.K. seems to relish being wrong over and over again and making quite the public spectacle of it. Which, if you’re going to be wrong, is the right way to do it.
3. She is right about some things
While some who are wrong about one thing are wrong about everything else too, Rowling actually is right about quite a few things. This helps keep a favorable balance of being right to being wrong and allows people to still find things they agree with her on, therefore giving her more space to double down and be as wrong as she wants.
4. Her name is “J.K.,” so it’s possible to believe that she is Just Kidding
While J.K. has never claimed to be joking while she is being wrong, it certainly is a helpful coincidence that her name is shorthand for “Just Kidding.” If anything, seeing her posts next to the letters “J.K.” could provide a subliminal suggestion that the wrong thing she’s saying is meant to be sarcasm or parody, providing her with plausible deniability whenever she’s wrong. Maybe that’s why she’s wrong so often.
5. She made Harry Potter
If you’re going to be wrong about something, follow J.K.’s lead and create a beloved character that is one of the biggest intellectual properties of all time. Who cares if someone is wrong when they made Harry Potter or Mickey Mouse or the Cat in the Hat. Everyone loves those guys! Using your creative powers to make a universally adored guy is one of the most surefire ways to be right about being wrong.
6. She is wrong about a thing that many other people are wrong about too
Those who are wrong about something that very few people are wrong about, such as believing the Earth is flat or that dinosaurs never existed, can be subject to mockery and complete dismissal, but J.K. is wrong about something that it’s pretty common to be wrong about. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t have her detractors, but it does mean that she can pretty easily find enough support that she never has to stop being wrong, which is definitely the way to go if you want to be wrong.
