Rationalization

Every single person on earth (including me) feels the need to rationalize actions at some point; to justify behavior we often know to be neither in our own best interest or in the best interests of others. But for whatever reason, at least at that moment, it feels like the right thing to do. More often than not, it isn’t. The thing is, our conscious selves almost always know it is not an action in which we should be partaking, but that doesn’t usually stop us.

In thinking about this subject I’m reminded of the story of Pinocchio (at least the Disney version) where our wooden puppet is accompanied by a conscience in the form of Jiminy Cricket who does his best to keep his charge out of trouble. The Good Fairy gives Jiminy a mandate to steer Pinocchio in a direction that would be best for his future, but Pinocchio is swayed by the prospect of having fun because it feels good. Many times what feels good or is perceived as the right direction is driven by emotion, need, or desire, directly bypassing our rational decision-making processes (our own Jiminy Crickets).

How many times have I stopped at a store to pick up a donut despite the knowledge that my type 2 diabetes is only going to get worse by chomping down that round orb of pure sugar. But I want it. I know it will taste great, and I tell myself that it’s just this once (or just this once today). I rationalize my behavior, not because it makes sense, but because I find a way around my health issues to get what I want. My will power seems to evaporate and the next thing I know I’m eating two. I mean, what’s the harm?

In the great scheme of things my donut fetish is a minor infraction (unless I go into a diabetic coma). But our small indiscretions can become larger ones, ultimately impacting others and potentially leading to massive disruption within the structural foundation of our society. It may seem like an odd juxtaposition, but the way our neurological system works, there is not a whole lot of difference between rationalizing the eating of a forbidden donut and justifying the perpetration of a genocide, though the difference in impact is enormous. Either way the person rationalizing the action circumvents the logical thought processes to explain why their “feeling” is justified and correct.

Over the past year multiple examples of damaging characteristics have been offered in these posts; entitlement, intolerance, fear, xenophobia, misogyny, and so on. All of these disorders could be mitigated if we chose to do so with a bit of mindfulness that would lead to an altered behavioral pattern. Rationalization is right up there with all of these destructive traits, allowing us to find justification for beating up on each other without any sense of the long-term effects of our actions. Over the course of human history people have been able to rationalize and justify horrifying behavior. Every kind of torture, malevolence, and cruelty has been committed on our fellow humans, all rationalized by some inner need for power along with a ravenous and irrational appetite for more.

Several of my friends have suggested this is just an aspect of human nature, that some of us are hardwired to behave in this manner, making it almost impossible to steer these tendencies in a different direction. I admit this belief has merit. Perhaps the desire to garner huge amounts of wealth and treat our neighbors with disdain is something certain members of our species cannot avoid. At the same time I know most of us also have an enormous capacity for kindness, acceptance, and mutual respect, along with a love for our environment and everything it encompasses. So why do so many of us take that darker and much more destructive path?

As noted above, it comes down to emotions, those slippery and irrational demons that inhabit our minds, like the proverbial devils that sit on our shoulders, encouraging us to embrace self-destructive behavior. That pesky demon might whisper, “Go ahead and launch those missiles. All Iranians deserve to die!” or “Those immigrants are only here to do us harm. Let’s deport every single one of them before they murder us.” These are just two of the thousands of rationalizations used to inflict pain onto people who have done nothing to deserve that treatment. Many of us believe that by implementing these various irrational programs we will be safer, when, in reality, we are making ourselves and the world at large much less safe. We are putting our collective futures at great risk by filling the world with mistrust, fear, and hatred.

Ultimately the only pathway around this march towards self-annihilation is to clearly see ourselves and our neighbors in the brighter light of rational reality. To look for the best in people, see them for who they actually are and not who we think they might be, and then silence those devils on our shoulders. Humanity is worth saving, despite the ugliness many of us bring into the lives of others. There is way too much to save, to celebrate, and to enjoy. We cannot miss this very short window of opportunity to save all of the wonderful things we have accomplished.

Jiminy Cricket finally succeeded in saving Pinocchio. By listening to our own consciences, opening our eyes, and getting down to work with each other we can make a difference. Please.

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