Hypocrisy

Hypocrisy (Photo source: Dr. Hurd)

Hypocrisy - What generates it? Which is the source for hypocrisy?

Why we encounter "hypocrisy" so often around us and most people seem to value and enjoy it, despite of being realistic and sincere to themselves and all the others?

"Hypocrisy' source" came into my mind thinking at religion and... sometimes, trying to understand and locate its main root, it seems that religion and politics brought hypocrisy amongst us, and they are the main source and sort of pioneers for showing this type of "facet" to us in quite an obvious way.

On the other hand, human creature, as entity (if it's not Dalai Lama) has strengths and weaknesses, and no matter how intelligent, moral, knowledgeable, understandable or experienced it may be, it's not perfect and will never be so, sooner or later, under certain circumstances fails, and more or less intended, becomes hypocrite.

Human mind and behavior depends on so many variables, factors and circumstances (character, believes, social level, education, capabilities, surrounding environment, external events and actions, etc) and, conscious or not, our whole process of thinking and the result of our actions is related to Maslow's pyramid.

Going from here, indeed, hypocrisy is generated by the need to achieve; to have or possess something but it should be a difference for chosen path between to wish or want and to own using a lie in order to accomplish a particular purpose.

Hypocrisy it may be the result of human incapability to understand itself (position, limits, real needs and interests) at various levels while is moving ahead thru this world/ own life. It is a weakness that limits any individual to be happy with own person and admit who he/ she is in fact; so starts building a sort of imaginary world using a mask first in front of its own self till comes the moment when loses the limit becoming so accustomed with such pretense that does this to the others, too, then is demanding from those what probably would like to be/ get itself but is aware of failure.

Even if we admit or not, all of us have a doze of hypocrisy inside, more or less harmful. And this amount of hypocrisy may become dangerous when, from an innocent thought or desire, becomes a habit to lie (for example), and along the time turns into an assumed way of living. In which case, that person is lost - especially when one doesn't really need a particular thing, idea or item for his own benefit or for others, but simply enjoys forcing and seeing others obeying to its demands, eventually to create for itself a faked hallow of power, and take control over people and things around.

Writing this now my mind slides to a hand of dictators and so many other people' useless sufferance...

Which is the source of hypocrisy? What generates hypocrisy?

Mahatma Gandhi - "Hypocrisy and distortion are passing currents under the name of religion."

Religion and Hypocrisy

What do you think about religion?

Is it sort of natural or a sort of man made invention to manipulate masses?
Does it bring positive influence and results? Or not?
Are people more confident and happier with religion or due to it? Or not?

Well, religion may not be natural, but I think it is natural for people to gravitate towards something like religion in order to explain things about life and the world and existence that they cannot explain in their own minds. People have a need to know, a need to understand things, and so religion offers them a chance to accept the fact that they have no control over much of life.

Hypocrisy…. I think it stems from two very basic things:

1. We have an easy time ordering others to do things or to behave certain ways but not such an easy time doing those same things ourselves which then results in visible hypocrisy.
2. Our own greed for material things and for laxness in behavior gets in the way of our own professed morality and ethics… and that creates inner hypocrisy.

It is an easy thing to say one thing and do another because so often justifying hypocritical behavior is easy since we explain it away by saying we “need” this or that.

And many people I think have no idea that hypocrisy exists within themselves. And this is a very complex issue.

So, what do you think?

Oscar Wilde - "The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame."

What do you think about religion?

Another thought wondering if religion is natural or man made to manipulate masses?
Does it bring positive influence and results?
Are people more confident and happier due to it?

I would not consider religion natural but no doubt that it is imposed. It’s not a sequence from our genetic chain and we’re not born with it (as an instinct, for example, or something else deeply enrooted into our system).

Religion is something sort of natural as long as humans want to believe that something is above them or when fear is inoculated to them from first second of their birth.

Animals plants, rivers, mountains, etc do not need religion, they are genuine and follow their own sequence of life with basic fear of predators or unleashed nature but without fear of religion.

The primitive man, for sure, had no idea about religion – he might be frighten by his own shadow occasionally but no the other thing

Religion initiated and put labels on people, categorized them and gave distinctive “penalties” to each social class; set rules for how and who people should love or be with, made people hate and fight against each other, set selfish rules and principles for others to obey and be afraid of, kept knowledge first for themselves and spread to people only what they did not consider jeopardizing their position.

Religion generated wars sending innocent youth on the battle field for some strange believes and let them die while they were praying behind in safe and secluded places.

Churches and priests are imposing rules not respected by themselves first of all – initiated terror, torture (which was applied with such an odd “devotement”), sacrifices, punishment (to the death), exile, etc

I do believe in a mysterious force above us and I’m not against religion or people’ believes but, personally, I perceive religion and churches being always after very well determined things: power, wealth and mass manipulation to serve their own interests… caring less about people or carrying in exchange of a price…

What makes me wonder about religion is that seems to take advantage with no shame or regret of human weaknesses,making use of them, taking control over and manipulating innocent or naive souls, minds, actions. Also, always promises things to happen into another life/ world, one that nobody yet was able to confirm that it does exist… So, why not promise things to happen in our real world, now?

On the other hand, the positive thing about religion/ church – it may represent the basic “book” for ethics and morals, and sometimes, brings people together for a good reason; occasionally thru monks/ nuns offered some health care during the wars and few natural catastrophes; a bit of charity; organized school/ education and guided people minds, initiated first steps in music, painting, science and probably put a barrier to an eventual humongous chaos on Earth.

Also, for many persons, religion is giving a bit of strength wherever their power of understanding and endurance is ending – especially for sick people or desperate situations when one ultimate action or thought is to hope and hang on that believe above them.

Russian Proverb - "Hypocrites kick with their hind feet while licking with their tongues."

Where is no hypocrisy at all:
- in the simplicity and beauty of nature – water, sky, natural resources;
- in fauna and flora;
- in a new born baby’s smile;
- in the wise words and advised shared by an old person well experienced by life, that has nothing to lose or gain, perfectly aware of her/ his successes and failures;
- in mathematics as Stendhal said: “Mathematics allows for no hypocrisy and no vagueness.“

Jonathan Edwards - "There are two sorts of hypocrites: one that are deceived with their outward morality and external religion; many of whom are professed Arminians, in the doctrine of justification: and the other, are those that are deceived with false discoveries and elevations; who often cry down works, and men's own righteousness, and talk much of free grace; but at the same time make a righteousness of their discoveries and of their humiliation, and exalt themselves to heaven with them."

Edmund Burke - "Hypocrisy can afford to be magnificent in its promises, for never intending to go beyond promise, it costs nothing."

Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy - "Hypocrisy in anything whatever may deceive the cleverest and most penetrating man, but the least wide-awake of children recognizes it, and is revolted by it, however ingeniously it may be disguised."

William Hazlitt - "Asleep, nobody is a hypocrite."