The importance of hypocrisy

It’s common for people on my side of the political aisle to call out the far right for blatant hypocrisy, as if we might expose them for inconsistency or shame them into backtracking. Either of those goals are frankly impossible, and for the same reason: Hypocrisy is a political statement.

In fact, it’s one of the most important and consistent political statements the right-wing makes.

Racial superiority is based on hypocrisy. Paternalism and misogyny are rooted in hypocrisy. Economic conservatism revolves around hypocritical statements about opportunity. The past several years of voter suppression and undermining any elections that Democrats win are hypocrisy in action. Fascism and totalitarianism are hypocrisy written large: “This is for me and mine, and nothing is for you.” Conservatism simply writes the same sentence in smaller letters.

Confused by right-wing anti-maskers chanting, “my body, my choice?” Don’t be, just pay attention to their use of the word “my.” They aren’t saying “your.” Hypocrisy is the entire point of conservative politics; it’s about keeping power in the hands of whoever holds it now, and not letting anyone else have any of it. Consistency & equality do not support that.

That’s why extreme conservatism is ultimately incompatible with democracy, and why we’re seeing so many Republicans try to abandon it.

What the left calls hypocrisy, the right calls self-preservation.