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Article created by: Austėja Akavickaitė
People tend to seek consistency in their attitudes, so when we hold two contradictory beliefs and our thoughts do not align with our actions, we may experience discomfort.
Whether we're aware of it or not, this inconsistency — called cognitive dissonance — can motivate us to seek ways to reduce the unpleasant feelings it causes, such as by rejecting or avoiding new information.
(You know that drinking too much alcohol is harmful to your health, but you do it anyway and rationalize it by pointing to your high stress levels.)
Interested in how all of this manifests in everyday life, Reddit user Independent_Ad_3915 asked everyone else on the platform, "What's the worst example of cognitive dissonance you've seen in real life?"
Here are some of the answers they have received. It sounds like we're pretty good at lying to ourselves.
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#1
Conservatives decrying they want government to leave them alone while supporting bans on gay marriage, access to women's health, etc.
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#3
My mom who rushes to do all the chores herself and then complains when nobody else does them. And then if someone else does it she complains that it’s not being done the way she does it
#4
My mother told me that many years ago, our family had the children taken and forced to go to a Catholic boarding school. She told me that they cut their hair, beat the kids if they spoke their native language, and forced them to read the Bible and forced out our native belief. The term I've heard is, "They sewed the Bible into their hands." They even outright m******d many kids while not telling the parents anything. I was already horrified, but then my mother told me that we're a Catholic family that believes in Jesus...
#5
For those of us who work/have worked in retail during the holiday season:
"I can't believe they have you working on Christmas Eve, Boxing Day/insert holiday here..."
It's you. It's because of YOU I'm working. Cuz you're here, shopping on a public holiday. 🙄
#7
Person: I don't like black people because so many of them commit crimes and are in jail for dealing drugs.
Me: But your son got ten years for major drug dealing.
Person: Yeah, but that's different.
#8
Brexit voters who live in Spain and other parts of the EU. Voting to kick out foreigners without realising that they are the foreigners is peak cognitive dissonance.
#9
Illegal immigrants are taking our jobs!
I wouldn't have a problem with illegal immigrants if they would work instead of coming here to live off of welfare!
Said within minutes of each other out of the same mouth.
#10
Republicans blocking Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland to the SCOTUS because, by their argument, "It was too close to the election (more than a year away), and we should let the people decide the next president first before we name a new SCOTUS member." Then, within *3 months* of the 2020 election, RBG dies and Republicans rush in and confirm their nominee as fast as they can before the election to make sure it's stacked with another conservative in case Biden wins. There is just no excuse for that blatant, absolutely transparent level of hypocrisy. Such defines the American right-wing.
#11
People who have generational wealth, but then claim they “pulled themselves up by their bootstraps” and “worked their a*s off to get where they are,” while claiming everyone else is just lazy.
#12
“This weather is crazy!!! It was never like this when I was a kid.” meets “climate change is a hoax.”
#13
"This is what happens under socialism" Republicans talking about something happening now under capitalism
#14
I will NEVER forget this interaction with a human equivalent of a papercut:
“So, are you getting the vaccine now that you’re pregnant?”
“No! I don’t know what it’ll do to my baby” (IMMEDIATELY takes a drag from a cigarette)
#16
My husband who knows the extreme trauma and is devastated that I suffered so much from being a child victim of abuse and yet angrily defending Mormonism’s unapologetic declaration that clergy shouldn’t have to report abuse when a member confesses it. He’s a securities attorney with high morals and ethics and yet excuses the LDS church of hiding billions of dollars from the govt and their members in shell companies. He supports the homophobic religion despite the fact that he loves and accepts and supports his 2 queer daughters. He could be a case study on brainwashing
#17
Conversation I had with my former step dad:
Me: Ignorance is not knowing something, right?
Him: Yes.
Me: Willful ignorance is knowing you aren't informed but doing nothing to change it, right?
Him: Yes.
Me: So arent you being willfully ignorant about evolution by not bothering to research how it works?
Him: (instantly offended) Listen. I don't need to research evolution to know that it's impossible for a frog to transmutate into a bird.
Me: I agree, it's not possible. Transmutation isn't evolution, that's a term used for alchemy to change gold into silver and isn't mentioned in evolution at all. Real evolution takes millions of years and happens because of gradual changes in DNA.
Him: (storms off) I aint got time for this
#18
Republicans who spout homophobic rhetoric but then are found on Grindr.
#20
People complaining about other peoples driving while comitting the same errors but its ok because "they are in a hurry"
#21
My ex-boyfriend's mother would sit on her front porch and complain about the neighbors. "Look at those busybodies, sitting on their porch gossiping about everybody. Did you hear that her daughter..."
She'd also insist her son drive her to the stores first thing after every holiday, so she could buy stuff half price "before the greedy people get there."
#22
When the pandemic started, a friend of mine got really obsessed with the fact that you can't leave your home or go near people without a mask etc.
Only thing is it never reflected in his own actions. He judged others but did not follow guidelines himself. He worked at a grocery store at the time and refused to wear a mask his boss told him to wear, meanwhile complaining about people coming to the store without masks and putting his health at risk.
#24
SO's grandmother died this year, of cancer, that she had for 10 years. She refused to get treated, refused x-rays because she believed x-rays would give her cancer.
#25
My alcoholic husband who is completely off the rails and rapidly drinking himself to death and tearing my and our kids' hearts apart, sitting in his chair rambling on about how sorry he feels for a friend who is dealing with a loved one's drug addiction.
#26
My parents are libertarian and hate the idea of socialism.
They constantly talk about how much they love the library.
#27
A neighbour complaining about increasing homelessness and then talking about how she can barely afford her mortgage payments on her rental property ever since interest rates rose higher. "I'm not allowed to raise the rent past a certain amount so now I'm paying the mortgage out of my pocket!"
#28
My mom (who has admittedly come soooo far since this era) used to point out the “trashy” Russian ladies in the grocery store and say that they were using food stamps “paid for by her, and still have an attitude” Meanwhile we literally were there purchasing groceries on WIC benefits lmao. Glad she’s overcome her issues there lol
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