Ethics

Despite the common perception, is there actually anything really wrong with being hypocritical?

Comments

Being hypocritical might mean that I argue for a standard of behavior that I do not myself meet. Thus I might argue that all parents should send their children to public (state) schools, even though I send my children to a private school. My behavior does not undermine whatever force my argument may have. In that sense, it is not wrong. But there is a sense in which I must be getting something wrong: either the claim I am arguing for or my behavior. Still, I am not necessarily misrepresenting myself. If on the other hand, what you mean by 'being hypocritical' is that I misrepresent my own position, say by saying that parents ought to send their children to public school when I don't believe that, then we haves the wrong of dishonesty.

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