Everyone makes hypocritical justifications. What are you going to do about yours?

We rationalize almost everything – especially when it comes to supporting “our people. For (just a few) examples from the GOP recently:

  • Supporting “capitalism” and the “free market” but also supporting tariffs and restricting the flow of labor.
  • Wanting fewer abortions but demolishing comprehensive sex ed, which would reduce the abortion rate.
  • Complaining about government spending and then spending government money like crazy.

Sometimes these rationalizations are not quite as evil as they seem. They’re post-hoc structures, quickly assembled in order to justify a belief. As a result, there’s dissonance and disagreement throughout an individual’s mental landscape.

Don’t forget: there’s almost certainly some things like this in your mental landscape. You are not special here; you are not somehow exempt.

When you come across hypocritical justifications and rationalizations in yourself, take the time to examine them and, as needed, tear them to shreds.

And when you come upon those who double down with their hypocrisy… level them to the ground.