27 Lip Service

All of us are more or less restrained by the taboos current in our particular society, in our culture. Perhaps this is fortunate since it promotes the stability of social institutions and makes for cultural unity. At any rate, the pressure which society exerts to make individuals conform to its beliefs and ideals is generally sufficient to prevent all but occasional individuals from openly repudiating the prevailing notions. Examples may be found in any culture. The principles of orthodox Marxism have been so enshrined in the Soviet Union that Lenin and his successors have constantly made obeisance to Marx even though departing widely from his notions. In America, almost every group renders homage to thpi ideals of the U. S. Confjfifrit1*™1 although it is quite clear that neither the communist, neo-fascist nor superpatriotic elements actually uphold the civil liberties essential to the plan of government which the Constitution provides. In American culture it takes a hardy individualist to express dissent from the principles of Christian ethics or to idealize war. One may, without evoking any intolerable hostility, advocate or do all sorts of things inconsistent with Christian ethics or continued peace; only open acknowledgment of the consequences of one's acts is apt to bring immediate public repudiation. Consequently, individuals who find themselves opposed to some cultural norm often see the wisdom of giving lip service to it. In fact, a person may render lip service to an accepted ideal of his group without even realizing that he is constrained in his belief. For instance, an individual may support an ideal such as racial equality without ever questioning the depth of his belief until one day he is called upon to put it into public practice. Sometimes lip service is a smoke screen consciously created, as with the person who proclaims his support of sexual taboos which he clandestinely violates. Such a person has made the passage from rnwardlv Tip service to .flagrant hypocrisy. It is not a difficult passage.

As is the case with much faulty reasoning, lip service often goes unnoticed because it is so hidden in verbiage that the announced ideal and the inconsistent behavior are not exposed to sharp contrast. Or time may obscure the fact that an individual's deeds do not match his words. At any rate, the majority of mankind on occasion, intentionally or otherwise, say one thing and do another.

The extent to which even very good people fall short of their professed standards of behavior is brought out forcibly in a well known passage from T- S. Mill's On Liberty:

All Christians believe that the blessed are the poor and humble, and those who are ill-used by the world; that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven; that they should judge not, lest they be judged; that they should swear not at all; that they should love their neighbour as themselves; that if one take their cloak, they should give him their coat also; that they should take no thought for the morrow; that if they would be perfect they should sell all that they have and give it to the poor. They are not insincere when they say that they believe these things. They do believe them, as people believe what they have always heard lauded and never discussed. But in the sense of that living belief which regulates conduct, they believe these doctrines just up to the point to which it is usual to act upon them.

EXAMPLE	COMMENT
Peter is giving a speech to the Independent Farmer's Association. "Our country has grown great under the system of free private enterprise. We are proud of the industry and initiative of the millions of individuals who have worked out their own destinies under our flag. Free enterprise has built up our nation and will continue to build it up." After this introduction, Peter devotes the main part of his speech to advocating government subsidies for wheat based on a system of price and acreage controls.	Peter draws attention to his belief in free private enterprise. Then, cuckoo like, he lays a plan which hatches into a very different kind of bird. Subsidies and government controls, whatever their form or merit, are not applications of free private enterprise.
Address to a Veterans' Organization: "Democracy must be alert against government by special interest and pressure groups. The legislator should listen to the farmer, the businessman, the veteran -- but he must decide for the good of all." The speaker goes on to explain how he is supporting a bill that greatly extends benefits for veterans. "Your Congressman won't be against this bill if he gets a lot of letters from you!"	Though it is fashionable to deprecate "special interests and pressure groups," few speakers can resist the temptation to appeal to such groups whenever opportunity offers and the question concerns their own interests.