Confess your Hypocrisy

@Khethil,

There are degrees of hypocrisy and mostly blinkered attitudes towards our own hypocrisy..It is a sin in the true sense of the word and we are all guilty as charged.This may be a philosophical debate on the finer meanings of the word but eventually it can not be denied its true intentions.I do find it interesting though being a lay philosopher watching the academic reasoning behind what most would find a point of dictionary definition.

@Khethil,

Khethil wrote:

Good Morning,

Subject: Inconsistencies between Philosophical Principles and Actions

Intro: No matter what you think, to some greater or lesser extent, you're a hypocrite; we all are. The realm of the philosophical and the realm of the real don't always mesh as they should. What's more, the more you've thought these issues through, the more you're likely in conflict. Think about it; no matter how much you try, it's likely you're not quite as 'authentic' as you'd like.

Questions:

What are your inconsistencies between your philosophical principles and what you actually do?

How do you resolve such inconsistencies?

Examples: To give an idea where I'm coming from. Here are some of mine:

I'm glad that more people are able to live longer lives but I also think we have too many people on the earth.

I love my house, but no one needs this much room. I wouldn't give it up, but the materials and resources involved in it's building and upkeep doesn't justify two people.

I have a car and enjoy the independence of being able to go where I want - when I want. I also think that automobiles (manufacture, disposal and emissions) are one of the largest sources of environmental destruction there is.

I value life. I believe that no form of life should unnecessarily be pained or destroyed. Last night our neighbor's dog wouldn't shut up; I don't think it would have taken much encouragement to actually choke it to death.

Material "things" in my life - from the vacuum cleaner to our crock pot - has made living easier, giving me time to pursue what's more important. It's also undeniable that what's "easier" isn't better; that some physical labor or 'want' is a good thing.

I've toured factories where the jibbering guide boasted at length on his factory's level of automation; football-field sized buildings where now only 2 or 3 people can be seen. I think about the jobs lost but also realize that this level of automation keeps that place in business; and in so doing, produces much of what I want and need.

I love vegetables; I also know what types of labor practices are used to bring these to my local store. I'm not inclined to grow them myself, but I buy them nonetheless.

I count the invasion of Iraq as one of the most unjustified, immoral things my country has ever done. But through it all, I've dutifully paid my taxes, obeyed the law and didn't quite make that move across the border.

I believe we ALL are riddled with inconsistencies between our philosophical positions and actions we take every day. I also believe it's important to somehow recognize and resolve such inconsistencies; even the acknowledgment can have some benefit. Some of this has been covered in this thread.

Anyone up to a confession?

Sigh. Yeah. Render unto Caesar what is Caesars. Not sure if he said , and restrain from *****ing about it. LOL.

@Elmud,

My favorite insult is telling someone they're a hypocrite. I believe we're all hypocritical to some degree and because of this I am a hypocrite for calling others hypocrites. I do not believe hypocrisy is human nature, but it is quite difficult to avoid being hypocritical to some degree. I believe it would be something if many of us could really say what we believe and actually live our lives by these beliefs.

@Khethil,

Yea, good comments.

The word hypocrisy, as the thread's title, is actually a tongue-in-cheek reference to evoke some reaction. What we're talking about here (what I enunciated in the OP) is probably more a light form of inconsistency that's a product of modern, 21st century and/or post-industrialized living.

As is typical, we get hung up on the emotionally loaded nature of words. That notwithstanding, I still think it a valid question and even an important one for the honest lover of wisdom to consider. Some examples are in the OP

Thanks

@Khethil,

I have many hipocracies but even more contradictions.

The difference you ask: I am all about the love and peace, until someone goes out of their way to harm someone I know. In that case I am the most visciously evil man you will ever know.

I love the beauty of life and hate the ugly but don't truly believe in either.

I find myself being forced to have opinions about things which I have no opinion on. These are my flaws and where I become a hypocrit.

@Holiday20310401,

There is never any hypocrisy between my philosophical system and my actions because I most fortunately never include the subjunctive in my philosophy. However, there is a great deal of confusion. :a-ok:

@Khethil,

The problem is in differentiating what you believe in and what you would want to believe in. Every person is complex, some more than others admitably, and to create let alone adhere to a code strictly is nigh impossible. I am unsure which is the correct view - if society is to blame for this, or if we are in debt to it. Obviously not everyone is allowed to excercise their true beliefs efficiently in today's society, but it also helps keep the ones we dislike at bay, like a filtering system for ideals.

Anyway, I have stolen but I wish not to be stolen from. I have gotten lucky and attributed it to skill or justice yet do not like it if someone cheats me of what I think I deserve through luck. In the end, as each second passes we are not the same person we were before and the same ideals will not stand firm in every situation we encounter throughout our lives. This is in my opinion good and is the main ingredient of progress.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that I often try to stand firm in my belief not to force my beliefs onto others, but not even that, one of my core beliefs, is the smartest option nor the one I opt for in some situations.

@Khethil,

How are all people necessarily hypocrites? Is it possible to never act hypocritically?

@Khethil,

Khethil, the stoic philosophers may be of interest to you, particularly The Enchiridion (The Handbook) by Epictetus, if you have not read any of their work already.

@Mnemosyne phil,

Mnemosyne;90098 wrote:

Khethil, the stoic philosophers may be of interest to you, particularly The Enchiridion (The Handbook) by Epictetus, if you have not read any of their work already.

Good idea - I have the Discourses. Which I did enjoy for the most part. Thanks

@Khethil,

I dont think we have much choice over how we live these days, it would be nice to live in a house that was green, it would be nice if we controlled the birth rates for now to help the population crisis. All you can do is the best you can, recylce, be kind and look after one another, other than that you can become an activist or a politician to help change the world but if it's a revolution your looking for its not going to happen, man is alienated.

@Khethil,

Hypocrisy (as it is defined in this thread) is intrinsic to human nature. The simple conclusion to draw from it is to recognize that philosophic principles do not determine actions, they determine intentions.

As intentions are always good, but actions never keep up with them, an honest lover of knowledge ought to conclude that we are bad.

Confessing one's hypocrisy is meaningful only if some radical step is intended to resolve it. Otherwise, why all this moral nudism - we have philosophy, the best weapon in hands of hypocrisy.

@Shlomo,

Shlomo;101363 wrote:

Hypocrisy (as it is defined in this thread) is intrinsic to human nature.

Yea, that's really the point here. I sense far too much self-denial and egoism in philosophical conversations; as if somehow the ideals and principles esteemed automatically convert to motivations. In some cases such naturally follows, in other cases subtle inconsistencies arise - as with us all - and I think it important we keep these in mind; both to better our perspectives and ultimately ourselves.

Shlomo;101363 wrote:

The simple conclusion to draw from it is to recognize that philosophic principles do not determine actions, they determine intentions.

This is quite true; but actually, they play a part. Immediate needs, thoughts, emotions and desires come into play as part of the 'mix' that ultimately end up determining our actions. The extent to which our philosophical principles correlate to our actions (through that long strong of steps towards action) is similiarly the extent to which we practice what we preach.

Shlomo;101363 wrote:

Confessing one's hypocrisy is meaningful only if some radical step is intended to resolve it.

Excellent point; although I'd add "any step". One can rarely change anything about their behavior radically and meaningfully. Any step towards more harmony between philosophical principles and (ultimately) action is a step in a more honest and authentic direction - or so I think

Thank you

@patchouli phil,

patchouli;56002 wrote:

How are all people necessarily hypocrites? Is it possible to never act hypocritically?

That sometimes people act hypocritically does not mean that everything they do or say is hypocrisy. It does not even mean that they are hypocrites.

---------- Post added 11-03-2009 at 12:21 PM ----------

xris;52501 wrote:

.I do find it interesting though being a lay philosopher watching the academic reasoning behind what most would find a point of dictionary definition.

I don't think I know what you mean by this. Isn't that exactly what philosophers are supposed to do? After all, "most" are not philosophers. And what has it to do with hypocrisy?

@Khethil,

Khethil,

I think we are bound to be confused, when it comes to defining ourselves as one person who should be consistent. I believe this is not altogether possible, because we are not one thing. We are a convergence of many impulses, needs and separate intelligences meeting up in one process.

The psychologists tell us now that we have a separate emotional intelligence, which even has its own memories. So, we are not just one instrument, we are a whole orchestra.

Who is in charge?

S9

@Khethil,

I advice everyone and i do not follow it. Why?

Good Q.

You can't advice another if you follow it. It is simple as that.

Always reverse is true. Smile

@Khethil,

Interesting thread, this, that has just been "bumped".

So extreme is the disjunction between how I experience the world and how I act in the world that it would be easier for me to list the small number of ways in which I am not a complete hypocrite.

I'm sure Sartre would have a field day pulling my "bad faith" to pieces.

For me, philosophy has a lot to do with trying to overcome this disjunction.

@Twirlip,

I consistently yell at kids about leaving clothes in the living room but if you check the couch cushions I bet you would find at least 5 pairs of my socks.

@Khethil,

Humans are natural hypocrites

@Khethil,

Pondfish,

It isn’t hypocritical to think one way and to act another way altogether.

This would only be true if we did it on purpose, because we were totally in charge of all of our acts and our thoughts.

This presupposes the fact of free will. But is it a fact?

S9

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