Cognitive scientist Keith Stanovich defines hypocrisy as the collision of first-order and second-order thought[4]. First-order thought consists of the basic, animal desires promoted by our genes while second-order thought looks beyond personal needs into rational calculations of larger principles and goals. Stanovich concludes that second-order thinkers are strong evaluators and that hypocrisy is the product of strong evaluation, that is the intelligence to deviate from first-order thinking. So, it is no wonder that the elitist politicians are hypocritical, they are supposedly more intelligent than the rest of us and therefore they cause no harm in breaking the promises they make to the populace.

Saunders forgets what the language of democracy is and he tells us that "A little bit of hypocrisy makes for good politics." Now I am understanding this better: we are being duped by our elite, including Doug Saunders.

References

Pertinent articles published in Ensign

Definition of HYPOCRISY: The practice of professing beliefs, feelings, or virtues that one does not hold or possess; falseness. An act or instance of such falseness. Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition.

1. . Saunders, Doug Elect your local hypocrite (pdf) June 12, 2004 The Globe and Mail http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20040612/DOUG12/National/Idx

2. . Shultz, George P. Reagan's greatest gift was vitality of his ideas. He communicated a clear, simple view of a complex world (pdf) June 13, 2004 San Francisco Chronicles, http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/06/13/INGE972T9E1.DTL

3. . Floyd, Chris The Burning Legacy of Ronald Reagan: Funeral Games June 11, 2004 CounterPunch, http://www.counterpunch.com/floyd06112004.html