Hypocrisy.
The desire to root out hypocrites is central to our politics, our purchases and our everyday lives.
The strange thing is that we don’t really understand what “hypocrisy” means…
Everyone hates hypocrites. Nothing stings like being accused of hypocrisy, and it’s all too easy to spot in others. Even a brief glance at the news confirms that hypocrisy plays a major role in the increasing polarization of our politics.
But the strange truth is that we don’t understand hypocrisy very well, despite using the term all the time.
Uncovering evidence of hypocrisy may be devastating in some cases; in others, we may react with indifference. A moment’s reflection also reveals that we judge hypocrisy to be less severe than many other faults, like cruelty or jealousy.
At some level, we recognize that everyone is a little bit of a hypocrite. In fact, we realize that sometimes leaving a gap between your stated principles and your true views or actions is actually the right thing to do.
So, what is going on here? How can hypocrisy make us both shrug our shoulders and clench our fists? And why should we care about this paradox?
Hypocrisy will offer the first accessible book that explains why hypocrisy matters, why causes us to react the way we do, and how we can see it more clearly in our everyday lives. Readers will discover:
Why ‘judgment hypocrisy’ is one of the forces tearing our societies apart.
The hidden drivers that determine when we call out hypocrisy, and when we don’t.
How they can become less hypocritical in their own choices and behavior.
Why we urgently need to rethink hypocrisy in order to bring groups together and understand each other better.