Short definition of hypocrisy from Wikipedia:
“Hypocrisy is the practice of feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not.
The word “hypocrisy” entered the English language c. 1200 with the meaning “the sin of pretending to virtue or goodness”.
Today, “hypocrisy” often refers to advocating behaviors that one does not practice.”
Going from lack to abundance, we can appreciate what the requesting person says:
Please be honest and open about yourself and your beliefs.
I want to trust your words, I want to trust you.
With that it would be helpful to supply observations of what exactly one is perceiving that makes it hard to trust in the integrity and honesty of the person that is being adressed.
And as a request I would suggest asking first for understanding, making sure that the other side can hear us in the beauty of our needs. – “Can you help me understand if I made myself clear, by telling me what you heard is being important to me.”
The West is hypocritical
In a recent vlog Roman shared his view, that the West is hypocritical. He is saying this in regard to the behaviour of the West in regard to Israel and its bombing of civilian infrastructure, killing children in the process of hunting terrorist fighters from Hamas. He notices that the West treats Israel and Russia very differently, and that is painful to him. He wants to trust that their is a world, where people are treated equally, nonwithstanding their otherwise apparent differences – such as external appearance or being part of a group by religion or nation for example. When the West treats Israel and Russia differently, it also fundamentally undercuts his ability to trust the West means what it says. Words are becoming hollow.
Especially he puts the light of attention on how the West holds Russians collectively responsible, for example through sanctions that block Russians from using their VISA card or by imposing traveling restrictions on them. On the other hand no such sanctions are being placed on Israel. Roman sees the bombing of Gaza and the killing of many innocent children as much worthy of condemnation, as he sees similar Russian actions. But the consequences are not the same. So that is what he is perceiving and that is what led him to record his vlog.
So many Western countries withdrew from Russia – is there anything similar happening now, for Israel?
I state all this with the intention to understand. I do not agree with Roman’s view. And here is not the place to share my view, here is the place to look for understanding FIRST.
Hypocrisy
This is the main jackal – the needs pop up inside of us, when we ask what needs are fulfilled, when we consider an action that is non-hypocritical. Something about integrity definitly, courage as well. There might be more.
Perceptions that Matter
To connect better I listen to the example Roman gives.
EU bans Russians from using their VISA cards. Nothing for Israel.
EU imposes traveling restrictions on Russians. Not for Israel.
Both policies affect Roman personally, as he has fled Russia after the beginning of the war and also because he lives abroad and might want to travel into other Western countries. Painful for him, I guess, to feel punished, even when he is personally very outspokenly anti-war and anti-imperialist.
Again the question of collective responsibility is up – government, elected by a majority of people, acts on behalf of all people, those that voted for the government – and those who were against.
From giraffe point of view, we can only request for another to take responsibility. That request, however, can only be made after an understanding can be reached about what is actually happening.