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This got a little esoteric. Sorry for that.
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And tautological.
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Any conversation about this has to be grounded in the principle that this sort of self-deception is normal, fine, and not a problem. 6.8 Billion people operate this way and lead perfectly fine lives.
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Ok... I'll start with the premise that there is no absolute right and wrong. Given that, we are free to choose for ourselves what is best for yourself to the best of our ability in the context of being a product of an environment.
I think you're failing to differentiate rationalization as a tool of reason, and as a defense mechanism. I am certain that at some point all of us do use rationalization as a mechanism, but that does not mean that it is not a problem.
When rationalization (typically rationalizations build on each other) contributes to severe cognitive dissonance, we are faced with deep inner-conflict. We end up doing things that we feel are bad for ourselves, and then attempt to re-interpret these experiences as good. This leads to a sort of repression that can lead to emotional and physical problems (high stress, depression, anxiety, self-destructive behavior).
Being alive and just getting by in spite of one's self seems like at least one step back from a "perfectly fine life".
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Thing is, something entirely different becomes possible when you can actually own that you do that. If you can hear yourself rationalizing and interrupt it in the moment, suddenly the chorus in each of our heads shuts up for a split second, and in that second who we actually are emerges. And in that space, we can make choices for our lives that are extraordinarily powerful. Anything is possible in that moment. Anything.
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When you realize that you are rationalizing you are presented with a choice. Given that, a good faith response then would be to explore a route that would dimish the self-made schizms we create within ourselves. Instead, typically, many choose to move on and continue in the patterns they are by trying to find new rationalizations for the same things. You say that "anything is possible" and in spite of that "anything" doesn't usually happen.
There are pay-offs to our self-destructive behaviors - gain attention, power, avoidance of failure, etc. These tend to win out when we let our self-decifiencies and fears control us.
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The only thing is, the general experience of those lives is one of a lack of satisfaction and fulfillment.[...]And that's FINE.
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Not in my life, I refuse to choose to be unsatisfied and unfulfilled because of my poor decisions. I can have contradictions and paradoxes in my existence, but even then, I continue to work towards unity as hard as that can be to work against the impulses to repeat those patterns.
I still contend that we all should.