I tend to think hypocrisy is really the only thing that separates mankind from other species. It turns out that other species use tools, have loving families, communicate through language, etc., but, to my knowledge, mankind is the only species that depends on hypocrisy. Most of civilization and culture arises because of the dichotomy between the way we actually are and the way we might wish to be or the way we wish others would see us. Hypocrisy may be the very foundation of human nature.

The fundamental problem with any ’ism is that people mistakenly believe that the central tenets of  “the faith” completely and satisfactorily account for all aspects of socio-economic interaction. This happens with capitalism, socialism, communism, nazism, conservativism and a host of others. Solutions to obvious problems are only thought meritorius when they are in line with canonical ’ism thought.

Only when people begin to break out of these ’ism straightjackets will we begin to see real progress in social growth. As Peter T suggests, we really need to deal with all the dirty complexity of each problem to find adequate solutions and that complexity is never embodied in a single belief system.

A steadfast adherence to any simple model for human society is why we are so easily manipulated by those willing to use our belief systems to manipulate us and the game to their own advantage.

      - Mark