Tom's Notes—Say one thing...

I'm a conservative. At least, I think I'm a conservative. I had a conversation with an old friend recently that made me reconsider. Then, I read a line in a trusted book that made me doubt. And then I heard a reputable psychologist's quote that left me doubtless about my doubt.

My friend's mail illustrated to me how much we make up their own versions of what words like "conservative" or "socialist" mean; in a nice line F.F. Centore asked whether declaring yourself Christian may not be as arbitrary as suddenly declaring yourself Canadian; a Psychologist giving an account of some experiences said "...and I'm going to tell you about my views on the subject—and for my real views, just think of the opposite."

So we make up our own rules, we declare things for ourselves that are really things that only others could say about us—and often what we like to think we think, is the opposite of what we really think deep down. How many times have you heard someone proudly say "I'd never do that," only to find your reaction is to knowingly say to yourself: Mmm, OK.

I don't think people are liars; I think we're contradictory. We're hypocrites—and there's nothing truer to being human. Embrace it.

So, I'm a conservative.