Hypocrisy; The Stickiness That Bonds Humanity

Hi! My name is Lauri and I am a hypocrite. I needed to just go ahead and rip that band aid off of the sore spot that said, “wouldn’t it be hypocritical to discuss this as though you have never been a hypocrite?” So there it is, the inclusion of myself due to the truth of it. I think that being hypocritical is something the vast majority, if not all humans have partaken in. It would seem the tendency is wired in us as signs of hypocrisy rears its head in children. Early lessons of sharing come to mind as this example. Remember as a kid spotting out or even avoiding playing with the kid who didn’t like to share even though chances were you may not have been so great at home sharing with your own siblings and only did because you were made to? Or maybe it was suggested that you take something you really like to school or to a friend’s but the thought of sharing it rather gave you anxiety over fears they would break it or steal it. Sharing is just one example of how from a young age hypocrisy is displayed through many of our social skills origins; the early lessons of what annoys you about others many times is over a trait or a tendency you too have. If these lessons were not learned or believed we carry them with us our whole lives to varying degrees.

We may carry them unchecked into parenting. Parenting brings out all things known and unknown about our own behaviors. You can say you do not want to repeat the mistakes of your parents but many times fall shortsighted with that being your only benchmark of great parenting. I think the expression, do what I say, not as I do could only have been born out of the notion I suggest. Parenting is a real gateway into Jesus’ analogy of specks in others eyes with planks in your own syndrome. The age old expecting out of others what we do not expect out of ourselves is acted out all day, every day.

Big Week For Hypocrites

This as a topic, which I honestly considered not bringing, was sponsored by public official hypocrites. My trigger started with the FDA announcing that they are going to ban red dye 3 in food products citing the Delaney Clause and the studies of rats. Note that the Delaney Clause cited color additives in 1960 as a bad thing. Red Dye 3 was banned in 1990 from cosmetics yet here we are 35 years later deciding it shouldn’t be in foods. (From the FDA; In 1992, the FDA announced its intention to revoke the permanent listings for the uses of Red #3 in food and ingested drugs based on the Delaney Clause due to the effects observed in male rats. ) The agency decided not to take action at that time, given the resources required to remove this authorization. The FDA, a leader in hypocrisy since 1930 (under its current name), an organization brought through the guise of public health and safety but somehow allowing and being complacent in the exact opposite. Hard to be excited about this effort too when it leaves so many dangerous dyes still permitted in foods and drugs and also gives the companies two years to restructure their products without red #3; funny since there are still other red dyes used not being banned. Why are they getting a two year pass?

TikTok also was also targeted for what seems like a Ban Week. Here we have our safety in mind under the banner of privacy. Unlike the food manufacturers, TikTok was not given two years notice, no notice for those who make their living through TikTok. However, TikTok is back up and I think it was down less than 24 hours, but hold your hats, the TikTok status is still hanging in the balance; or is it? I can’t help but feel the whole thing was some sort of political staging for favor, a way to test some waters, or something other than what they say it is; a concern for our personal data privacy. Honestly, I learned about the nefarious features TikTok has in their app ware and said, no thanks. According to cyber experts their app does present extra layers of data breach over other apps, if that is to be believed, but either way, let’s not pretend it is about caring about our personal data privacy. That ship is far out to sea. Banning one app hardly makes our data safe. Alexa, smart meters, smart phones, Google, social media, toys, watches, medical devices, stores, gps, credit card companies, and most everything is set up for data collection for selling or using said data for purposes unbeknownst to us daily regardless of what they say. The Patriot Act, which was supposed to be temporary by the way, was enough proof to me that privacy is a thing of the past. So whether by government or private entities, our data is breached and beaten up on the daily. The other thing tossed about regarding banning TikTok was in regards to a freedom of speech issue. Like Facebook proclaiming no more fact checkers, and Twitter going full free speech mode as X, neither will be true. Only the ownership or politics in place will change for the tilting of the direction of the windmills but suppression will continue while trying to trick us into thinking they are giving us our voices back. Hypocrites all.

This is about hypocrisy not politics but I cannot omit the Changing of the Guard event yesterday. I am concerned for the people who place too much trust in a President as well as for those who have a darkness in their hearts over a President. Both situations are not healthy places to be. It matters not either regarding who the guardianship changed to because this same behavior happens each and every time; only the roles reverse. Suddenly folks defending the constitution will be blind when an action is taken that they agree with. It happens every time and the result is that after every four year bender by whomever, the constitution grows more looking like a layer of an onion skin being driven over all day on a freeway. It’s like folks are watching a sporting event and at one time or another are blind to the hypocrisy taking place. It matters not who is in, what matters is that we are out, way out in the cheap seats, mere spectators of the lives they are weaving for us and we either clap or boo.

Thinking About You Shakespeare

Hypocrite, Greek: hypokrites, means actor; one who plays a part, pretender. In thinking about that and all these daily happenings I couldn’t help but get part of the famous Shakespeare poem in my head, “All the worlds a stage, and all the men and women merely players; they have their exits and entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts.”

It is a wonderfully crafted wordsmithing that speaks to a point of view that should be pondered over at the very least. Some may fully subscribe to the point of view of the whole piece but I think of it as a reminder that life can be about much more than just about playing the role of our ages. I believe we are more like authors of our own story within a book already written but I have been given opportunity to co-write my piece by an author who doesn’t need to make that offer. I am here to use my voice, stand for kindness and love and strive to not let neither the mandates placed upon me or opinions of me via others take root in my heart as fear or hatred. Each of us matters or we wouldn’t have been given an entrance. So, as this sometimes hypocrite comes to a close I just want to say, everyone has been a hypocrite and in some weird way it makes us automatically no better or worse than anyone else. The key I think though is to admit and try and get rid of the tendency in ourselves. To focus inside on what we are putting outside. To be the person we wish everyone else would be. That’s enough work for me, how about you?

God did not give us the spirit of fear, don’t sign up for it. What are YOU doing today? Thinking or mimicking? Creating or consuming? Yelling or listening? Things are happening at a rapid pace and we live in the time we are to be in so how much better can we be? I want to finish well. How much more can we love one another? We have the power to ban for ourselves and band together.. Thanks for being here and I hope you enjoyed the Savvy pictures for content balance;)