Nobody stands taller than those willing to stand corrected.

The aphorism praises intellectual humility: real stature comes not from never being wrong, but from having the character to acknowledge error and revise one’s views. “Stand corrected” evokes both public accountability and the social risk of admitting mistakes; the paradox is that accepting correction elevates one’s credibility rather than diminishing it. Attributed to William Safire—who built a public reputation on language, argument, and the policing of usage—the sentiment also fits a writerly ethic: accuracy is a communal achievement, and being corrigible is a mark of seriousness. The line functions as a compact moral lesson about learning, integrity, and the long-term authority earned by candor.