[zero-sharp]

Oh, other people have cognitive dissonance too. It's not just you. Being aware of the bad and still engaging doesn't mean that the issue is being ignored or given less weight.

Most people are full of contradictions and often carry beliefs that might be seen as controversial (perhaps in hindsight). Maybe it's not appropriate to lump all controversial beliefs into one, but I think a small part of the problem is that we identify ourselves as being morally pure as a way to avoid having hard conversations.

[s1artibartfast]

I dont think it is necessarily about the hard conversations with others. I think it is just convenient for some people to cut the world into black and white binaries and reduce other humans to one dimension.

There is a human instinct resolve ambiguity, and barring that, heuristically paper over it.

The more emotionally engaging a topic is, the more galling the uncertainty and cognitive dissonance is. The more distressing the uncertainty, the more people want a simple solution, even if it isnt true.

I think questions like if someone can be a racist AND a good person are complex. They are uncomfortable. This makes a simple answer of "NO" all the more attractive. It makes life a lot easier than if the answer is "sometimes, but it depends on 1,000 other things".

Applying purity tests to others provides an easy way to go through life while minimizing the thought and consideration given to those people.

[kelseyfrog]

There's two types of people, those who think in black and white, and those who think in shades of grey.

[kelseyfrog]

It sounds like you find moral purity to be reprehensible, but at the same time, don't have an issue with having reprehensible people in your life. Why don't you demonstrate how it's done and become friends with me?

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