I wonder if hypocrisy hasn't become so pervasive in American political and popular culture that we've forgotten not only what it means, but the impacts that it can have on others. We've come to accept hypocrisy as a natural state, and while we don't condone it per se, it isn't a shortcoming we hold people accountable for. We learn to live with it, making do and giving wiggle room as needed. This broad acceptance eventually facilitates incorporating skills for dealing with hypocrisy (both as creators and observers) into daily life.
This hypocrisy is rotting our culture from the inside. When we accept hypcocrisy in politics, we do condone it, because whatever we don't restrict is permissible. This encourages it, for it becomes canonical. More dangerous, though, is that hypocrisy in politics entails a lack of accountability. When we encourage behaviors that promote a seperation between actions and repercussions, let not a person be surprised when undesirable actions come to dominate. Politics becomes free from accountability and free from its responsibility to enact the people's will. The risk's of bringing bull to a china shop are well known.
But it doesn't stop there. Once a political body realizes how enjoyable it is to operate free from accountability to the opinions of its constituents, the intents of its founders, and even its own stated propositions, it is unlikely that it will easily distinguish between domestic and international areas of activity. Double speak and admonitions to "do as I say, not as I do" are accepted at home, the thinking goes, so why not abroad? Not only does this fail to recognize that domestic audiences have a voting connection to the government, but makes the fatal Is-Ought error: We are number one on the big dog pile, which means it is natural, intended, inherent, (even preordained!).
So now we are looking at a government body with no connection to the beliefs or opinions of its constituents or its neighbors. It doesn't even feel an obligation to remain true to its own stated goals, purposes, precepts, and notions. While it may still care enough about the electoral opinion to refrain from directly ignoring it, it doesn't actually listen to what is being said and take such opinions into consideration in the process of fulfilling its constitutional mandate of providing governance for, of, and by the people. Nay, it seeks to use the tools available to coerce opinions into line. Say it loud enough and long enough and everyone will eventually believe you. Now we have a government for the government, made up primarily of a small slice of the populace with access to the ears and wallets of the powerful, all provided by the discretionary budgets of massive corporations.
Why does the world hate us, we wailed following the first foreign civilian attacks on American soil. (Remember that we were attacked by an American, a soldier no less (dare to question his patriotism?), who was digusted with the un-American behavior of the government. Too bad his message was so easy to ignore because he killed so many children.) The answer to this question is easy, and I'm sure obvious to anyone who has read this far:
Hypocrisy
America is patholologically hypocritical. I say pathological because it has reached epidemic proportions and become so entrenched that it defines us, permeates ever nook and cranny of our thinking, an infection that precludes us from seeing it. Hidden right in front of us, we are incapable of seeing it, but more importantly, of seeing what it is doing to us.
Everyone is hypocritical to a degree. I know I am. It is difficult to live life according to our beliefs and without failing to uphold things we said. But the difference is that most people are aware of their hypocrisy (then again, maybe not). But even if they aren't, a hypocrite whose trangressions include smoking and drinking while telling their kids not to doesn't really do much but hurt the parent and perhaps condemn the kids to a life like theirs. But for the most part, the majority of people's actions are not hypocritical. We live good lives and generally can relied upon as role models.
Not the United States. I realized only recently that the country that I love and uphold as the greatest country in the world doesn't really exist outside of my beliefs. The ideas and morals that America was founded on are excellent, without reproach, and I'm proud to be alive to witness and experience life under the best political system primates have ever developed.
But the America that I believe doesn't exist in the real world. Our government and citizens act extremely un-American msot of the time. That is one of the great things about what American stands for though: you can do whatever you want, believe whatever you want, think whatever you want, hold whatever opinions you want, and we will still be here for you. So to point out that many Americans are not tolerant, free-speech loving people doesn't really matter as far as the constitutions (small c) of America goes.
But I will question their patriotism. Patriotism, in my mind, is more than just love for the country, and it sure as hell is NOT just support for the government. Patriotism is a commitment to the standards of what our country stands for, a commitment to condemn hypocrisy and actions that pervert these standards, and a willingness to criticize (and be criticized) that which you hold most dear. Patriotism is political toughlove, perhaps.
I intended to write about how American hypocrisy in Iraq is dooming our effort there, but I've run out of time and probably gone on too long to hold the attention of the 3 people who read this site. I'll try to get to that soon. It's a great example of how America's inability to see its own hypocrisy practically ensures our continued unpopularity and pattern of foreign policy failure.
Posted by Nutrimentia at August 7, 2003 09:54 AM | TrackBack