Cognitive Dissonance

I think often about the psychological concept of cognitive dissonance; or the idea that a person can somehow hold two conflicting beliefs or opinions in their one mind and still move around the world, behaving normally.  Like the practicing alcohol who is totally aware that drinking is proving very destructive while convincing himself with each new day that drinking is going to work out fine, that it'll be different this time.  Maybe this is insanity of a sort?  Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.  Like the religious but barely spiritual individual who can personally engage in behaviors that are antithical to the beliefs of his religion while presenting a moral and ethical front to his fellow believers?  There are millions of examples of cognitive dissonance.  It's why so many of us are insane.  We do stupid things that we know are stupid but we do them anyway.

While I'm on this topic I was reminiscing about the many times I've bought coffees or snacks for people or jumped in to make up the difference when someone couldn't afford to pay for all of the groceries they had unloaded onto the cashier's conveyor belt.  How my nature is to hold onto my money and look away - it's my money!  mine! - and how I've learned that relaxing my death grip on my cash and helping someone else out -  even if they don't really need the help  - is beyond satisying.  I lose some cash but I feel great.