Life’s Double Standard?

It has been my observation that most people are liberal in though and conservative in action. Or to say they are publicly liberal but privately conservative. I consider this a double standard not as stated above but as this:

When a person is publicly liberal and it is discovered they live a conservative leaning life style, then they are considered down to earth, blue collar, one of people. This is then considered a good thing, and these people are praised for being themselves. If however a person projects themselves as conservative and it is then discovered they lead a liberal leaning lifestyle then they are considered as being “caught” as hypocrites for not being themselves. Public scorn usually follows.

The public scorn then turns to the demanding of an apology for not being honest in their projected image. This is considered by most, perhaps a vast majority, to be normal and just.

Even as I write this I realize I too consider this to be “OK”, to be a normal course of action. And yet I wonder why this is so. Why it’s ok to live a conservative lifestyle while projecting one’s self as liberal in thought. And yet so wrong to flip this scenario 180^o in the other direction.

Mind you, I’m not talking about the self-righteous public person who berates those different than himself, while they are in fact, living, privately, this same lifestyle. I think those examples of overt hypocrisy are self-evident. I am talking, in part, about the public person, star, politician, etc. that lets their opinion known to the general public. Why are they held to such a unique standard? Or is it just that when they are accused of such behavior the outcry is louder for them than when it’s a friend or associate whose life becomes known to us.

I refuse to point out individuals for the purpose of example. I believe most of us can think of someone, or situation, where we have been surprised with a contradictory behavior. So, I will leave it up to you to find and make a comparison of sorts. Also, this not a commentary about any one lifestyle, just some thoughts about the way the general public reacts to those lifestyles as stated.

Now I must make a confession, I have no idea what the “why” is in this equation. I do believe it’s definitely worth the time to ponder such a thought. Perhaps someone much more in tune with today’s social climate than I am. And would also be able and willing to express themselves on this matter. It would be nice to hear some varying opinions, my curiosity is certainly peaked.

Blessings all-

by David E. Gonzales