Musings — Chris Takos

Cognitive dissonance — now there’s a term to wrap your head around.
The first time I heard it, I knew it meant something important and that anyone speaking it in public would sound intelligent. Now, sounding intelligent and being intelligent are two different things, for it turns out cognitive dissonance hints at the opposite of intelligence... or at least of being wise.
The American Heritage Dictionary defines is as “A condition of conflict or anxiety resulting from inconsistency between one’s beliefs and one’s actions.” Sound familiar?
Another definition is “discomfort caused by holding conflicting ideas simultaneously, that that dissonance can be reduced by justifying, blaming or denying.” Know anyone suffering that?
My simple interpretation is “Rationalizing rather than being rational,” and for those that need it spelled out, it means “Wanting your cake and eating it too.”
Most oxymorons are examples of it. Most of us suffer it regularly.
I’ve said all that to say this, “Starving for freedom while gorging on security will cause all the cognitive dissonance one can stand.” Somebody out there, this very minute, is saying “Well, I would gladly give up freedom to be looked after or to be safe.” That’s OK. You might relate  to some of these other issues instead.
We are a society that dreams of financial freedom, and think we can buy it on credit.
We confess love and compassion, yet we mistrust each other and don’t care to know our neighbour.
We embrace every culture while we reject our own.
We have become paranoid and insecure, and at the slightest lump, bump or headache, we insist on remedy, yet we ignore symptoms that previous cultures and empires have died from, claiming it’s not my problem. It’s not my fault, and it’s not my job to fix it.
Well hoss, it is my problem. It is my fault and it is my job, and it is yours as well. Government can’t fix things. Government needs fixing.
Cognitive dissonance is caused by supporting political correctness while in your soul you know that what is needed is political correction.
Political correction: now there is a term to wrap your head around.