Hypocrisy.
Yesterday I heard a law professor describe two essential forms of morality. The first she associated with the right wing: a morality that comes from somewhere other the holder (e.g. from a religious source), which that holder attempts to achieve. The second she associated with the left wing: a morality that the holder establishes by herself through philosophy and thought.
I have my own opinions about whether one can truly create a morality uninfluenced by others, but she admitted to what was an interesting insight in the process. The "right wing" morality is something to be sought, a finish line to strive for, therefore somewhere you (unless you claim otherwise like some pious gasbags) are NOT YET AT. So when you are caught short of the line, there is sighing, but there should be no condemnation; it is a hard road to travel. Whereas the "left wing" morality, by default, should be where you ALREADY ARE, your beliefs are already in line with where you say they should be. You have drawn the finish line around yourself. So when you stumble, you couldn't live up to the circle you yourself picked, and we should be free to cry "hypocrite!"
(Mind you, the professor falls firmly on the "left wing" side of things, and was speaking to a group of largely like-minded individuals.)
I have my own opinions about whether one can truly create a morality uninfluenced by others, but she admitted to what was an interesting insight in the process. The "right wing" morality is something to be sought, a finish line to strive for, therefore somewhere you (unless you claim otherwise like some pious gasbags) are NOT YET AT. So when you are caught short of the line, there is sighing, but there should be no condemnation; it is a hard road to travel. Whereas the "left wing" morality, by default, should be where you ALREADY ARE, your beliefs are already in line with where you say they should be. You have drawn the finish line around yourself. So when you stumble, you couldn't live up to the circle you yourself picked, and we should be free to cry "hypocrite!"
(Mind you, the professor falls firmly on the "left wing" side of things, and was speaking to a group of largely like-minded individuals.)