A lack of pretense

 Yesterday I posted a " quotation " for lack of a better description. It could be called an axiom but that seems a bit pretentious. Whatever label you wish to apply I posted " the absence of pretense breeds contempt. " After reading a few comments I have decided that perhaps I should explain my reasoning for such a statement. On the surface we do think of pretense as a bad thing. It is , after all, an attempt to deceive. But the thing is that pretense also acknowledges the action or behavior as being correct. For what other reason would one pretend ? The total rejection of a societal norm, complete disobedience, is contempt. And so I say, the absence of pretense breeds that contempt.
 If the individual goes to the effort of pretending that can only be because they wish to avoid detection. That is the acknowledgement of the validity of the action. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, isn't that what they say ? If you pretend to follow those rules or norms you are saying they are correct. The removal of any pretense also removes that acknowledgement. Then you can only be in contempt ! Just as in a court of law, refusing to follow or acknowledge the courts ruling places you in contempt. Silently acquiescing to the courts ruling, even when you do not agree, is a form of pretense.
 It may seem a strange thing to encourage the act of pretense,to support a deceptive practice. I am not supporting the deception but rather the action. It is my thought that at the very least practicing a deception may become a habit. That habit then becomes your actions which are correct. Eventually you come to adopt the deception as the natural course of action. We are taught the societal norms in just such fashion. The things we do in " polite " company are not the same as we may do in a more private setting. In fact any deviation from those societal norms we call a perversion. A strong word implying what ? A deviation, a deviant. All words considered condemning in there implications. All of those actions are in contempt to society. Contempt can be seen no other way, than as defiance. Therefore the absence of pretense breeds contempt. Contempt is defiance. Defiance leads to unrest.
 It is this train of thought that I followed when I asked myself, just what is wrong with some people today ? Some have given up even pretending to be good and moral people. They are openly defying social conventions. What is most troubling is they are changing the laws of that same social convention. These changes are becoming the accepted conventions. It is those changes that trouble folks of my generation and mindset. I do believe in certain axioms. I further believe that each of us live by our own set of truths. When others openly display contempt for those beliefs it generates friction. Where is the " pretense " of courteous " patronization " that was afforded in years past ? Now it is gone and replaced with outright contempt. A new " declaration " of independence foreign from the one I am familiar with. A declaration based on what is best for me and not the society as a whole. And it is banally so. The new independence is an independence from morality and virtuous behavior. They are abandoning any pretense to such behaviors as well. The point being, if you do not practice such behaviors you will not develop the habit of acting in that manner. The absence of pretense breeds contempt ! With contempt comes upheaval. At least that is my observation and explanation for my statement.