Below is the context the phrase is used.
We are looking to assemble a small elite team. We want people who value being right, but not at the expense of being wrong.
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It would be assumed that "being wrong" would have negative consequences, and you are trying to avoid that. But your context is confusing, because you are saying such person could be right and wrong.– user3169Commented Jan 23, 2017 at 2:27
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Here is the whole paragraph. comma.ai/hiring.html– user208959Commented Jan 23, 2017 at 2:31
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The relevant part should be added to your question, and add the link as a source.– user3169Commented Jan 23, 2017 at 2:43
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We are looking to assemble a small elite team. We want people who value being right, but not at the expense of being wrong. Roles we are hiring for include Lead Phone App Engineer (hired), Controls Engineer (hired), Software Engineer, Electrical Engineer (hired), Computer Vision Engineer, and Machine Learning Researcher. Here is the link comma.ai/hiring.html– user208959Commented Jan 23, 2017 at 2:46
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1 Answer
As user208959 linked to, the text is from a job posting ad:
We are looking to assemble a small elite team. We want people who value being right, but not at the expense of being wrong.
at the expense of is an idiomatic expression in English, meaning that doing the first thing harms the second thing. For example:
She acquired power at the expense of friendships.
He argues that the tax cut will benefit the rich at the expense of the poor.
She's focusing on math at the expense of her other subjects.
In the example you've provided, I agree it is a confusing example of the usage of the expression. I believe the person posting the ad is trying to say that they want the best people for the job - people who do the job right, but not so sure they are right that they are unwilling who seek advice or listen to other people if they happen to be wrong. In other words, they are looking for open minded people who, presumably, work well in a team.
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Thank you so much, Mike. It was really helpful for me to understand. Have a good day~ ^^ Commented Jan 23, 2017 at 2:49
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If you found @mike's answer useful, it would be courteous to accept it and, since you have the reputation, upvote it. That's how this community is supposed to work.– verboseCommented Jan 23, 2017 at 3:02