Hypocrisy is not an advisable approach of uplifting our status to higher ground. Pretending what we are not would only put us in awkward or embarrassing situation. We should avoid pretending ourselves that we are anything other than who or what we are and begin directing all our energy to what is really important.

Ostentation is the signal flag of hypocrisy. It makes us like to think of ourselves as sophisticated and evolved, as hypocrisy is magnificent in its promises but never intending to go beyond promise because we are still driven by human urges like greed and power. It is not hard to notice this trend in our daily interactions in social media. Many of us tend to attract attention to feel important instead of sharing to inform, to entertain, to inspire, to encourage or to motivate others.

It is easy to live after the opinion of others; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but a great person is one who in the midst of the crowd and confusion keeps with perfect harmony the independence of attitude. The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself. Only a weak person needs someone else around all the time.

I have learned that hypocrisy is not a best approach for getting us to the proper high ground. Pretending we are decent, saying our moral is not the same as acting morally. No habit nor quality is more easily acquired than hypocrisy, nor anything sooner learned than to deny the sentiments of our hearts and the principle we act from. The seeds of every passion are innate to us, and nobody comes into the world without them.

We are, who and what we are. What we see is what we get. When we say what is true, good, honest and real, it is not for the sake of convincing those who do not know it, but for the sake of defending those who do. Defending the truth is not something one does out of a sense of duty nor to dispel guilt complexes, but is a reward in itself.

Honest discussions, even and perhaps especially on topics about which we disagree, can help us resist hypocrisy and arrogance. They can also help us live up to the basic ideals, such as liberty and justice for all. However, sometimes we have to put up with the hypocrisy; we have to put a happy face on sorrow, we have to keep on keeping on even we disagree. Sometimes we have to go with the tide because of kindness or for selfish reasons.

I have also learned that to have a great life, is to keep on improving ourselves; to live without pretending; love without depending and listen without defending.

By Tim Pedrosa


  

Tim