What Contradictions Do People Admit To?

[Guest]

Liberals cry out for more and more socialism.  But they decry any connection to the Russians.

Trumpkins criticized Cruz because his wife (not him, but his wife) was once employed by Goldman Sachs.  And Trump himself lambasted Clinton for giving highly paid speeches to the firm.  All while Trump hires officials from the bank.

At some point, you'd think people would have to say, "Yes, I was wrong to be so critical."  But... uhmm... nope.  It just doesn't happen.

[Vort]

Some of the most common are:

• Can't.
• Won't.
• We'll.
• I've
• Would've
• It'll

Oops. "Contradictions." My bad.

[Guest MormonGator]

Liberals love speaking truth to power, but blindly and meekly obey authority if the authority is liberal. 

Conservatives dislike government. Unless government tells people who to marry, what women can do with their bodies, if I can end my own life, what I can and can't legally consume...

Trumpkins are quick to point out everyone elses failures and flaws, but if you say anything about Trumps three marriages, corruption, gambling-that "Crosses the line" 

Both sides think dissent is patriotic, but if you dissent when their guy is in office then it's treason. 

Liberals are against war, but if Obama bombs whatever country he wants, nothing to see folks. Move along. That one REALLY bothers me. 

Wikileaks: Both sides like Wikileaks, unless it releases information on their candidate. Then it's a threat to our democracy and republic! 

All of us have contradictory beliefs and ideas. It's part of being human. 
 

Edited December 14, 2016 by MormonGator

[NeedleinA]

Being told by someone in your family we need to lose weight, especially since a certain article of clothing does not fit any more. 
Okay, I think, and then proceed to start cleaning out the fridge and closet of the forbidden fat packing food, at which time I'm scolded for throwing out the goodies since "it's Christmas time, how could you?"

 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, MormonGator said:

All of us have contradictory beliefs and ideas. It's part of being human. 

Well, I don't.  Oh, wait. I do.

[Guest Godless]

46 minutes ago, NeedleinA said:

Being told by someone in your family we need to lose weight, especially since a certain article of clothing does not fit any more. 
Okay, I think, and then proceed to start cleaning out the fridge and closet of the forbidden fat packing food, at which time I'm scolded for throwing out the goodies since "it's Christmas time, how could you?"

 

Ugh, my mom is a champ when it comes to that. She left 90% of a Boston cream pie  (that she bought without verifying that my wife and I would help her eat it) in the fridge after one of her visits. We threw it out. But we need to lay off the Pop Tarts for breakfast. 

[prisonchaplain]

There's the classic washing down of the double bacon cheese burger and fries (with ranch dipping sauce of course) with DIET Coke. 

Edited December 15, 2016 by prisonchaplain

[Guest]

7 hours ago, prisonchaplain said:

There's the classic washing down of the double bacon cheese burger and fries (with ranch dipping sauce of course) with DIET Coke. 

I was in a grocery checkout line.  The lady in front of me was buying a 24 pack of Pepsi and a box of unisom.  Nothing else.

[unixknight]

I have a pet theory about this.

Every one of us has two selves:  The person we truly are, and the version of us we project into the world.  For some, the gap between the two is narrow, and for some it's very wide.  I've observed that the narrower the gap, the happier the person is because they can just be more themselves, and our inner selves are rather more consistent than we often behave.

 

[Guest MormonGator]

2 hours ago, unixknight said:

I have a pet theory about this.

Every one of us has two selves:  The person we truly are, and the version of us we project into the world.  For some, the gap between the two is narrow, and for some it's very wide.  I've observed that the narrower the gap, the happier the person is because they can just be more themselves, and our inner selves are rather more consistent than we often behave.

 

Good theory. I generally agree, for what little it's worth.

[Vort]

With apologies to Elder Oaks:

• Best: Someone who preaches Godliness and reflects it in his actions and life. Such people are rare. If you find one, stay close to him (or her) and follow his example.
   
• Better: Someone who preaches Godliness and tries, however imperfectly, to reflect that in his life and actions. When he screws up, which he does a lot, he quickly admits it (to himself or openly, as needed) and tries to do better. Such people are uncommon, and you definitely want them among your friends if you find them.
   
• Good: Someone who preaches Godliness and doggedly pursues that path, even while he sometimes engages in unworthy conduct. He knows he's out of line and he doesn't deny it, even when he's actively doing what he knows he should not. He may be inconsistent and sometimes even wicked, but he's no hypocrite. He repents daily, even hourly, and begs God to help him do better and be less wicked. Such people are fairly common among the sincerely religious, specifically among Latter-day Saints.

I'm guessing here, but I suspect many or perhaps even most of us fall into the Good group. Which is not a bad thing; it's Good, after all. So don't be discouraged. Good people eventually become Better people, and at some point they take their place among the Best.

• Bad: Someone who preaches Godliness or some ersatz version thereof while actively hiding the fact that he consciously lives in a completely different manner. He refuses to admit this is the case, and when confronted with proof of his duplicity, simply denies it. If forced to concede, he excuses himself by citing irrelevant factors or making things up out of whole cloth. This type of person is called a "hypocrite", and is perhaps most easily observed among politicians and Hollywood actors. Sadly, they exist everywhere, among all classes of people, and even in the kingdom of God. These are the wicked -- but don't cast them off. Wicked people can repent and become Good, and even in their wickedness, their souls are as precious as any others.

[unixknight]

5 minutes ago, Vort said:

Bad: Someone who preaches Godliness or some ersatz version thereof while actively hiding the fact that he consciously lives in a completely different manner. He refuses to admit this is the case, and when confronted with proof of his duplicity, simply denies it. If forced to concede, he excuses himself by citing irrelevant factors or making things up out of whole cloth. This type of person is called a "hypocrite", and is perhaps most easily observed among politicians and Hollywood actors. Sadly, they exist everywhere, among all classes of people, and even in the kingdom of God. These are the wicked -- but don't cast them off. Wicked people can repent and become Good, and even in their wickedness, their souls are as precious as any others.

Well said.  Well said indeed.

[unixknight]

5 minutes ago, Vort said:

Bad: Someone who preaches Godliness or some ersatz version thereof while actively hiding the fact that he consciously lives in a completely different manner. He refuses to admit this is the case, and when confronted with proof of his duplicity, simply denies it. If forced to concede, he excuses himself by citing irrelevant factors or making things up out of whole cloth. This type of person is called a "hypocrite", and is perhaps most easily observed among politicians and Hollywood actors. Sadly, they exist everywhere, among all classes of people, and even in the kingdom of God. These are the wicked -- but don't cast them off. Wicked people can repent and become Good, and even in their wickedness, their souls are as precious as any others.

Well said.  Well said indeed.

[prisonchaplain]

3 hours ago, unixknight said:

I have a pet theory about this.

Every one of us has two selves:  The person we truly are, and the version of us we project into the world.  For some, the gap between the two is narrow, and for some it's very wide.  I've observed that the narrower the gap, the happier the person is because they can just be more themselves, and our inner selves are rather more consistent than we often behave.

 

And this is where psychologists may be valuable. After all, which is the real me? Maybe the Widowmaker hamburger was me showing off, trying to project a carefree, fun nature? Maybe my true self is the Diet Coke?  ...  Ah, come on!  No one's buying that?  

[askandanswer]

It looks like a pattern is beginning to emerge from some of the response here, or, alternatively put, from the sum of responses. Perhaps that pattern could be tentatively worded as 

contradictions are most likely to become evident when those with whom we disagree use the views and beliefs that we hold for different purposes, or for purposes with which we do not agree.  

[Guest]

10 hours ago, unixknight said:

Every one of us has two selves:  The person we truly are, and the version of us we project into the world.  For some, the gap between the two is narrow, and for some it's very wide.  I've observed that the narrower the gap, the happier the person is because they can just be more themselves, and our inner selves are rather more consistent than we often behave.

If I understand you correctly, the person with a wider gap is more of a hypocrite than one who has a narrow gap?

That sounds ok.  But what does that say about a person who's pretty much a WYSIWYG type and still exhibits hypocrisy?

[Guest MormonGator]

49 minutes ago, Carborendum said:

If I understand you correctly, the person with a wider gap is more of a hypocrite than one who has a narrow gap?

That sounds ok.  But what does that say about a person who's pretty much a WYSIWYG type and still exhibits hypocrisy?

No one is a what you see is what you get type. We all have secrets and things we don't show people, and that's how it should be. Do you want to greet strangers with "Hi, I carried on a three year affair with my secretary and ended her marriage when I was 30." We all have secrets and flaws we keep buried. It's just a matter of degree really. 

[unixknight]

21 hours ago, Carborendum said:

If I understand you correctly, the person with a wider gap is more of a hypocrite than one who has a narrow gap?

That sounds ok.  But what does that say about a person who's pretty much a WYSIWYG type and still exhibits hypocrisy?

I don't mean to say a person with a wide gap is hypocritical per se, although they frequently are.  What I mean is such a person is less happy and secure in themselves than someone with a narrow gap...  Which means the hypocrisy may not be intentional.  They may not even be aware they're doing it.

Edited December 18, 2016 by unixknight