If you live in the modern world and you have convictions you are a hypocrite. You are, you just never stopped to think about the subject. It’s an unfortunate fact. Allow me to illustrate:
Do you think the mining industry is evil and is damaging the environment for future generations? If so, you must not be reading this on a computer that used silicon in its microchips, right? Or a cell phone, or satellite service, or a modern car or a microwave or a remote control, staples, aluminum foil, frying pan, canned goods… You can’t shake your fist at the anti mining protest rally and then drive away in your new car, that would make you a hypocrite.
Are you a vegetarian and against animal testing? But do you have leather shoes and a matching purse, leather seats in your car, a leather couch? An eiderdown comforter, fur trim on your coat, blue suede shoes... no? good for you. So how certain are you that the glycerin in your soap isn’t from animal fat? Completely sure? Good for you. Gelatin in anything you eat… Collagen in any of your foods cosmetics or creams? Ever had a diet drink, with an animal tested sweetener? Any diet drink, ever, would have been tested on animals. No diet drinks, nice! But still, most processed food ingredients and medications are tested on animals before being released to the market.
So are you anti logging and all of your furniture is from salvaged wood? Save our forests! What about your picture frames, toothpicks, chopsticks, paper, cardboard boxes, envelopes, buildings, window frames, the dashboard on your new car, pencils, drywall, baseball bats… The books you own, the s’mores over a campfire, your fireplace, xmas trees, you enjoy the products of the logging industry, don’t you? well then…
So you are anti Wall Street and think those fat cats who ruined the economy should be taken out and hung? Do you have a bank account, a mortgage, car financing, a credit card? But they are all from reputable institutions you claim… fine. Who owns that reputable institution? What institutions is it connected to? Did you know that the top 700 share holders in the market have the potential to control 80% of the market value through their influences? Do you seriously think your credit card, mortgage and car payments are not in one of those pockets? Right…
Oil companies are evil giant conglomerates that are ruining the world. Nothing around you, not one thing around you, hasn’t been through oil to get to you. (you in oil post) From the fresh fruit you bought at the farmer’s market to the shampoo you used on your hair, to the picture you took of your child. It all used oil to get to you. And think about this, nothing in your life has ever been plastic free. It was either packaged in plastic (or coated cardboard) when you bought it, it was shipped on a pallet that was wrapped in plastic, it had a plastic tag, bubble wrap, etc. and plastic is oil. You can’t live in your house and claim oil companies are evil without being a hypocrite.
Religion, are you religious? Do you subscribe to a religion that claims to be benign and all caring but everyone from other faiths will burn in hell for all eternity? Think about the hypocrisy behind that.
I don’t have to point out the hypocrisy in politics, it’s self evident.
Are you an honest person who never lies? Really? Not even to smile broadly at someone and say “hi, how have you been?” even though you don’t remember who the hell he is? Or to nod your agreement with the group/boss/priest/judge/parent/friend/coworker though your opinion may be different. Or to say “I’ll workout extra tomorrow to make up for today”. Ever call in sick to work when you weren’t? Ever make any new year’s resolutions? Keep them all? Lying to yourself is still lying… and hypocrisy is still hypocrisy.
So you donate to UNICEF, charities and save the fillintheblank because you want to make a difference. But then you don’t neuter your dog. But the gas in your car comes from countries where women are treated as property. But your iPad comes from a factory where workers are treated as slaves. But much of the textile you wear and use is produced by people who live in misery and squalor. Most of the modern consumer goods in your home were manufactured or assembled by people who have a standard of living that would kill you in less than a month. You can’t enjoy the benefits of slave labor/contribute to animal overpopulation/contribute to the development of misogynistic economies, turn around and donate some cash and say you’re not a hypocrite.
Your convictions are not compatible with the modern world. They simply are not. It’s not possible, in today’s world, to have convictions and not be a hypocrite.
So be the best hypocrite you can be. It's all any of us can do.
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