hypocrisy thread

[mc1]

let's talk about hypocrisy!

if someone smokes, is it hypocritical to tell others not to smoke? maybe not...

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Hypocrisy is the claim or pretense of holding beliefs, feelings, standards, qualities, opinions, behaviors, virtues, motivations, or other characteristics that some do not actually hold. Hypocrisy is not simply failing to practice those virtues that one preaches. Samuel Johnson made this point when he wrote about the misuse of the charge of "hypocrisy" in Rambler No. 14: acutely means you say don't do that when you are doing it yourself.

"Nothing is more unjust, however common, than to charge with hypocrisy him that expresses zeal for those virtues which he neglects to practice; since he may be sincerely convinced of the advantages of conquering his passions, without having yet obtained the victory, as a man may be confident of the advantages of a voyage, or a journey, without having courage or industry to undertake it, and may honestly recommend to others, those attempts which he neglects himself."

An alcoholic's pleas for temperance, for example, would not be considered an act of hypocrisy as long as the alcoholic made no pretense of sobriety.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypocrisy

[patrickgm60]

Originally Posted by mc1

let's talk about hypocrisy!

if someone smokes, is it hypocritical to tell others not to smoke? maybe not...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hypocrisy is the claim or pretense of holding beliefs, feelings, standards, qualities, opinions, behaviors, virtues, motivations, or other characteristics that some do not actually hold. Hypocrisy is not simply failing to practice those virtues that one preaches. Samuel Johnson made this point when he wrote about the misuse of the charge of "hypocrisy" in Rambler No. 14: acutely means you say don't do that when you are doing it yourself.

"Nothing is more unjust, however common, than to charge with hypocrisy him that expresses zeal for those virtues which he neglects to practice; since he may be sincerely convinced of the advantages of conquering his passions, without having yet obtained the victory, as a man may be confident of the advantages of a voyage, or a journey, without having courage or industry to undertake it, and may honestly recommend to others, those attempts which he neglects himself."

An alcoholic's pleas for temperance, for example, would not be considered an act of hypocrisy as long as the alcoholic made no pretense of sobriety.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypocrisy

Wiki's definition and examples seem broader than the "true" meaning of the word. An alcoholic's plea for temperance is, indeed, hypocrisy, as is a smoker's warning against smoking. "Do as I say, not as I do." Addiction, of course, brings up the issue of whether one's actions (drinking, to excess) is his own "act."

[Long Jon]

I don't think that it's hypocritical for a smoker to advise someone not to start. Same goes for any other addiction.
If a heroin addict recommended it to others he'd be considered irresponsible to say the least.

[harmonics101]

It depends what type of hypocrisy you are talking about. How about someone that is making money hand over fist illegally, yet tell everyone they shouldn't do that?

H

[flaggerphil]

Still hypocrisy.

[mc1]

Originally Posted by patrickgm60

Wiki's definition and examples seem broader than the "true" meaning of the word. An alcoholic's plea for temperance is, indeed, hypocrisy, as is a smoker's warning against smoking. "Do as I say, not as I do." Addiction, of course, brings up the issue of whether one's actions (drinking, to excess) is his own "act."

that's sort of the definition i'm accustomed to hearing, but it never really sat well with me. but i've never thought that an addict who suffers from their addiction but can't give it up was hypocritical for advising others not to go down that path. at the other end of the spectrum are those who say they don't smoke, they gave it up, and no one else should smoke either, yet they still smoke. that seems clearly hypocritical. in the middle are those falsities by omission, where one would perhaps tell others not to smoke, but also try and cover up the fact that they smoke, without explicitly stating such.

Originally Posted by Long Jon

I don't think that it's hypocritical for a smoker to advise someone not to start. Same goes for any other addiction.
If a heroin addict recommended it to others he'd be considered irresponsible to say the least.

i may be totally irresponsible, but no one will ever call me a hypocrite!

[harmonics101]

Originally Posted by flaggerphil

Still hypocrisy.

Yeah, hypocrisy is hypocrisy no matter how you slice it,

H

[Larry Pattis]

Originally Posted by mc1

let's talk about hypocrisy!

if someone smokes, is it hypocritical to tell others not to smoke? maybe not...



<<snip>>

I just came from CostCo.

In the parking lot was a morbidly obese woman pulling an oxygen tank, with the requisite tubing wrapped around her head and inserted into nostrils. As she was loading her car with her CostCo goodies she lit up a cigarette.

I don't smoke. I also don't have COPD. I said nothing.

My only addiction is to my morning coffee.

I can't imagine what this woman's life must entail, for her addiction to be so desperately clung to, while most decidedly killing herself one puff at a time.

Not really hypocrisy on the woman's part, nor mine...but a sad thing to observe as a part of the human condition.

[Silly Moustache]

"Hip - ocracy" Rule by the cool. It will never happen!

[ewalling]

My parents both smoked, and although they never actually forbade my brother and me to smoke, they made it quite clear that they didn't want us to do it. I certainly never considered them to be hypocrites. It was perfectly clear that they were hooked onto something they considered too difficult to give up or without which their lives would have been less worth living. However, they were both upfront about the habit being an expensive, antisocial and risky vice, and were understandably concerned lest my brother and I got hooked too. There doesn't seem to be anything reprehensible or worthy of a critical label in that to me.

[harmonics101]

The drug hypocrisy is quite an interesting phenomenon, all this pill popping encouraged by doctors, maybe it's not a hypocrisy, but if I were a parent, I'd be telling the kids to think twice before asking for some pill to make you feel better,

H

[Long Jon]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

"Hip - ocracy" Rule by the cool. It will never happen!

DANG ! Now I wish I'd done a hip-hop-racy joke instead of my uncharacteristically sensible answer ...

[Irish Pennant]

The hypocrisy that makes me laugh and gag at the same time is when a politician says with a straight face "We are a nation of laws".

As for smokers warning others not to smoke. It's not hypocrisy if the smoker is deathly ill and is saying "this is your future if you don't quit or if you take up smoking". I don't consider a convict trying to steer youth away from a life of crime to be hypocrisy, nor for parents to want for their children a better life than what they had, for them to say "I'm a janitor, I dropped out of school, you are not going to be stupid like I was, you are going to graduate and go onto college".

[mc1]

thanks for all the replies. i think it's an interesting subject. btw, i chose smoking simply because it's a little easier to discuss than other addictions, but my intent was to talk more universally.

Originally Posted by Long Jon

DANG ! Now I wish I'd done a hip-hop-racy joke instead of my uncharacteristically sensible answer ...

there was a band called the disposable heroes of hiphoprisy, who had a cool hit called, television, drug of a nation. it's a rap song with very well crafted lyrics.

[buddyhu]

It is clear (from the definition, below, that I have copied from Merriam Webster) that using the term "hypocrisy" ought to refer to an act that involves a conscious intention to deceive, or the conscious adoption of a false image!or pretense. Look especially at the synonyms and antonyms. Merely behaving in a way that appears to be at odds with the beliefs one espouses ought not be labeled hypocrisy.

But, some folks like to make up their own definitions. and some folks will use a shocking or insulting term inaccurately rather than use speech that is less provocative, and more accurate.

1 : a feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not; especially : the false assumption of an appearance of virtue or religion
2 : an act or instance of hypocrisy
Other forms: plural hy·poc·ri·sies
Examples
the hypocrisy of people who claim to care about the environment but ride around in gas-guzzlers
Origin: Middle English ypocrisie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin hypocrisis, from Greek hypokrisis act of playing a part on the stage, hypocrisy, from hypokrinesthai to answer, act on the stage, from hypo- + krinein to decide — more at certain.
First use: 13th century
Synonyms: cant, dissembling, dissimulation, insincerity, piousness
Antonyms: genuineness, sincereness, sincerity