Helpful And Harmful Hypocrisy

Every able bodied man in Russia must serve in the army, but Abe managed to remain

quietly on his farm year after year. One day his neighbor asked him, "Abe, how does a

strong young man like you manage to get by without being drafted for the Red Army?"

"That is what I am asking myself," replied Abe. "Every time the comrade doctor comes

around to give me my physical to see if I am fit for the army, I bet him 500 rubles that I

will pass the exam. But would you believe it, never once have I won that bet."

Man is the most clever creature when it comes to figuring out how to get his own way.

Hypocrisy, or pretending something that isn't so, is one of his best methods. John

Barrymore, the famous actor, once lived with Frank Butler in New York where both

were struggling to survive. One day they were down to their last dime. They went to a

cheap lunchroom where you could get hot cakes and two cups of coffee for a dime. John

waited outside until Butler had ordered the two cups of coffee and had eaten half the hot

cakes. Then he dashed in and whispered in Butler's ear. Butler jumped up and dashed

out of the lunchroom. John then sat down and drank the second cup of coffee, and

finished the hot cakes.

It was all an act, but it was clever, for they were both able to get a meal for a dime.

Few would be anxious to condemn this hypocritical little ploy, for their deception

intended no one harm. They were simply being clever in making the best of a bad

situation.

I suppose that is the reason why all of us are amateur hypocrites. If you have ever

responded to the question, "How are you?" with just fine, when in reality you are far

less than fine, then you have played the role of the hypocrite. If you have ever smiled and

said, "Excuse me," when in fact, you would have liked to scream, or tell somebody off,

then you have played the hypocrite. If you have ever gone to a social event pretending

you were enjoying yourself when, in fact, you would rather be several others places, then

you have played the hypocrite. If you have ever pretended to like something that you

really didn't like at all, then you have played the hypocrite. We could go on and on, but I

think you get the point. All of us to some degree are actors and pretenders, and that is

what the word hypocrite means. It refers to the actors who put on a mask of someone

else, and play the role of that person. The hypocrite is one who pretends to be someone

he is not. Since we all do this on occasion, we need to establish that it is not an entirely negative

experience. There is no point in feeling guilty for all pretending. Wearing the mask and

pretending to be fine when we are not is often an act of love. We feel it is not appropriate

to burden others with our ills in all situations and times. Much of our pretense is simply

to prevent unnecessary concern about what we expect to be a passing experience. What a

pain life would be if I was obligated to tell everybody of every bad feeling I had every

time they asked me how I am. We have the right to choose how much, and to whom, we

reveal the status of our health, and many other private matters, and that is why we play

the hypocrite.

Sometimes it is a mistake when we do not play the hypocrite. We have worn the mask

all day, and we have smiled when we didn't feel like it, and we were sweet when we didn't

feel like it, and so when we get home we throw away the mask and act just how we feel

with those we love the most. The sad thing is that we have been wise with strangers, but

now we let it all hang out with our family. We no longer hide our anger and frustration.

The mask is off, and we are done acting for the day. Now we are for real, and the real is

not very pleasant. We play the good guy or gal all day, and then come home and act the

villain.

The family could use a little of the hypocrisy that you have lavished on the world.

Many a marriage could be renewed by mates pretending to be as sweet, loving, and

thoughtful as they were when they were first dating. What I am saying is that there is a

positive side to hypocrisy where we put on a mask and pretend to be in a better mood