I have found a potential flaw in myself. I don't actually know if it's a flaw, perhaps it's a personality quirk? Perhaps it's not a fault at all - maybe it's something good?
At any rate, lately I've been trying for improvements in myself. For example, I have a tendency to procrastinate. I've been trying really hard to address this. So far, I've been MOSTLY successful. It's hard to break habits, but since this one will benefit me in school, work, life, it's not that hard to do. I'm actually kind of surprised.
Basically, I'm thinking about things that bother me, basically to find out WHY they bother me. Is it something I can overcome or is it a basic makeup of my basic personality and life outlook? I'm taking stock of myself, in other words.
And I've found that I DESPISE hypocrisy. DESPISE. I don't just dislike it. I don't hate it. I despise it. I'm sure most people would say they also dislike/hate/despise hypocrisy. So maybe I'm not alone, and this is a good trait for humans - although you've got to wonder why, if hating hypocrisy is something that's good for humans, so many people are hypocritical. I know that there are times I myself have been hypocritical. Maybe it's something you can't help being, because life is so full of gray-nothing is really black and white, and having a position about one thing can never be fully secure, there are always caveats. A person thinks and declares, let's come up with something that really bothers me: that women shouldn't work if they have kids. They argue that it's harmful to children. That women are the empathetic, caregiving sex and shouldn't work. In many cases, they argue this even as they're working themselves. This just pisses me off. At least back up what you're saying: act the way you supposedly think; especially because you're arguing that ALL women should act in a way you yourself are not acting. Anyway, hypocrisy really bothers me.
I was thinking about this the other day on the bus, of all places, because of a particular incident. There was a woman on the bus talking on her cell phone, a lovely conversation involving some guy. I must point out that she was with a friend. Now, for about ten minutes she just talked and talked on her cell phone, occasionally she would relay information to her friend. She finally hung up. Wait for five minutes. A cell phone rang and a woman answered it and proceeded to explain to her friend that she was on the bus, that's why it was so loud, and how did the other day go. The woman WHO HAD JUST HUNG UP HER CELL PHONE! turned to her friend and said - "I just hate it when people answer their cell phones and have conversations on the bus. It's so rude." I wanted to just glare at her until she could read my thoughts: you just did that, you IDIOT! But of course, I didn't. Instead I started thinking about how we're all hypocritical. Sometimes it's more blatant than others. So I'm trying to figure out how I can avoid being hypocritical: I despise it in other people, so I should definitely try to avoid doing it. Since I think it happens without people realizing it, it may be difficult to accomplish.
13 comments:
I don't like hypocrisy either. But I also think everyone is a little bit of a hypocrite, so is that hypocritical of me?
And your cell phone story also reminded me of something I can't stand: When you are hanging out with a friend and they spend the entire time talking on their cell phone or texting people. It's like, why are we even hanging out if you are going to ignore me the whole time? I hate that.
I hate that too. And I am sure everyone IS a bit of a hypocrite; I know I've done hypocritical things - but I'm going to at least try not to do it on purpose; that doesn't make sense, cause I doubt a lot of people do it on purpose, maybe I'll just try to think things through more before I declare a position/stance/action good or bad. Or something.
Brad sometimes tries to call me a hypocrite for being pro life, but i'm also anti-death penalty. Sometimes he forgets that and is all "what about the death penalty?" and I'm like "i'm' against that too!" hee. we're sort of weirdos.
Sara
I've been called a hypocrite because I'm against the death penalty, but also pro-choice. Of course, my reasons for being one or the other are different - and even though I'm against the death penalty, I think if somebody brutally tortured and murdered a friend of mine or a family member, I might want them dead. I'd just hope I could rise above vengeance.
I am also pro-choice and against the death penalty, but I am only against the death penalty because it is unfairly sentenced. If someone is a serial killer and that is proven without a shadow of a doubt, then I am not going to shed any tears if he is sentenced to death. But I also don't think being pro-choice and completely anti-death penalty is hypocritical. I don't think the two issues are quite the same, even if both deal with life.
Ahh, Ramee. My friend who is apparently also my twin! Just think of how alone we'd feel if we hadn't stumbled across each other (and Tanya!) in Jerry's class. That being said, I am always iffy on the death penalty. I am against it because of the unfairness, though I realize that nothing is PERFECT, I think in something like that you should err for less error. But I can never quite bring myself to say I am 100% against the death penalty. I don't like it. But again, I put myself in the victims' or victims' families shoes and I"m like, yeah, some serial killer murders someone in my family than let's burn him. But then, I flip-flop - is vengeance really the right answer? Because vengeance doesn't necessarily bring justice - although I'm not going to say it never bring justice. But I'm thinking now of that movie The Punisher - where the criminal dude kills an entire family on vacation because a cop accidentally killed his son and his wife wanted them all dead. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? (more)
Anyway, I watched that movie and I liked it - some of it was funny, there was a good song or two. I actually kind of like action flicks. But there was a deep-spoken understanding or connection - if someone had done that to my family, I would want to do the same thing the guy did....get revenge. Now, I don't know if that's the RIGHT choice, but I was all for it in the movie. And the death penalty seems more like revenge than justice. I think I'm rambling here.
I don't agree with the death penalty, but I like the idea of those murderers being on death row because they are in solitary confinement and do not get privileges that the general population in prison gets. Not only do I feel that it is wrong to kill in the name of justice, but I think that the person should have to live with what they have done.
Yes, I like the idea of solitary confinement and no parole a lot better than death. Of course, there are some killers who are sociopathic and don't have a conscience, so living with what they've done, if they don't think it's wrong or feel no remorse sort of goes outside this.
I think the main difference between vengeance and justice is the amount of venom and anger involved. And the amount of relief you feel after it is enacted. With a better system I too prefer solitary confinement and having to live with what you've done. But I think with the current state of prisons, guilt is hard to come by when the only way to survive is to be as tough as you can. I am talking about the general prison population of course, and not death row inmates.
You know while we are at it, I could totally get into how the whole criminal corrections system is so totally messed up that it is difficult for anyone in it to rehabilitate (for lesser crimes), and often they get into worse criminal activity after being released. But I won't, since it is wildly off the subject.
And yes, I think I must be your twin, because I love all the self-reflection you are doing. I totally do that all the time, and I am pretty sure I have the same flaws you do (as well as tons of others). Are you sure you aren't me? Or am I you?
Perhaps you're me or I'm you in some alternate universe, but somehow we found ourselves in the SAME universe.
And you are blonde, and I have dark hair...I think you may be on to something there.
This has nothing to do with the post, but I'm so excited - I finally got an interview at the champaign public library! I've only applied for about five open positions and now they want me for....(drum roll) a shelving position! I'm so excited. And really, really nervous.
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