Hypocrisy is a curious phenomenon. It is most blatant in our political and spiritual leaders because the consequences of their behavior reach so many people. For many, the betrayal goes unseen. These leaders hold so much hope and trust in their hands.
Hypocrisy Definition
The practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one’s own behavior does not conform; pretense. 1
A liar could be another definition of hypocrisy.
But as Tennessee Williams wrote: “The only thing worse than a liar is a liar that’s also a hypocrite!” 6
So, we may also define hypocrisy as sanctimonious. “I am so good, I have the right to do or take whatever I want for myself”.
For example, in an article in the NY Times, 2003, Essie Mae Washington-Williams came out about being the daughter of the southern senator Strom Thurmond. Her African American mother was 16 years old when she was born. He was a segregationist senator for 48 years promoting white entitlement. He is standing for separation of white and black yet he rapes a young African American woman. 5
I commonly hear patients talk about growing up in the Catholic religion. They put their trust in the hands of priests and nuns, literally and symbolically. I have heard many stories of physical punishment and emotional abuse that was torturous and criminal from these same priests and nuns.
Furthermore, the consequences of being sexually molested by a priest are soul-crushing. Not only is the molest devastating but loss of spiritual faith and the mis-trust in possible spiritual guidance leaves many facing suicide or a life shadowed by depression.
Hope 
We have hope when there is someone to trust. We have hope when we can trust someone’s guidance. We have hope when we can trust that someone has our best interest in mind.
As citizens, we are in a position of trust with our political leaders. Theoretically, they take care of national security, financial security and above all, human rights. They watch out for us and make laws to protect us. This assumption gives us hope.
However, there is a tragic loss of hope when a political leader takes advantage of that trust for personal gain.
We see a similar dynamic when trusting religious leaders. Theoretically, they are spiritual and moral guides in our life and holders of ancient spiritual traditions. Ideally they provide direction and hope in life and how to prepare for death.
When one teaches a spiritual way (any religion or spiritual path) they need to know the depths of what that means in their own life, with their own families, in marriage/partnership, and with children. Otherwise, religion and spiritual practice is just a fairy tale or theory with no basis in reality. It only offers an idealistic hope.
Hypocrisy, Hope and The Shadow Personality
As hypocritical behavior becomes more destructive, we could define hypocrisy as a form of mental illness; split personality, narcissistic personality or even sociopathic.
One part of the personality (persona/mask) plays the game, acts the part, and learns the skills to get into a position of having power over other’s lives.
The opposite personality, the shadow personality, is everything that had to be repressed in order to pull it off, act the part, and get into the power position. Everything that did not fit their “cover”, such as the “trusted politician” or the “trusted religious leader” had to be annihilated. This rejected part gains pressure the more and more it is denied.
Return of the Shadow Personality 
Eventually, the pressured shadow becomes the dominate personality. The shadow personality takes over. The “cover” is off. This personality does harm, whether it is taking someone’s money or violating another’s humanity.
For example, in a recent story here in Northern California, Brock Turner, the swimmer from Stanford, brutally raped a young lady and was given only a six months sentence by Judge Aaron Persky because it might hurt the young man’s career if he got the standard jail sentence for convicted rape. By the way, the judge also went to Stanford and was an athlete there, both are white. 7
This is an example of criminal hypocrisy. Not only did this young lady get violently raped but was raped again by the judge. The judge has since been removed from his position. We are evolving little by little.
When the acting out of the shadow personality takes over, one can feel completely justified in one’s action at someone else’s expense. The two personalities are not talking. They need help. It is time to take a deep look.
Why do some people gravitate toward hypocrites?
Because both share hurt that is still in the dark. It is a little like the blind leading the blind.
The Trump campaign is a perfect example. He and his followers have the same fearful fantasies that get acted out against non-whites and women. Gay, Lesbian and Trans people scare them to death because they have the courage to be genuine and self-aware. These fears are the tip of an iceberg. This group is frozen in ignorance together and they don’t even know it.
People will buy anything when they are living an “unexamined life”. They are vulnerable to outside influences because of their lack of inside knowledge, self knowledge, knowledge of this shadow-side that we all have.
We see people buy into religions and religious leaders that are completely lost because they promise hope and spiritual security.
We love a lie from time to time because it gives us false hope, false hope is better than no hope. Trusting in another for protection and guidance is instinctual. It is foundational. It starts at birth.
Carl Jung developed the idea of the shadow. He wrote:
“If people can be educated to see the shadow-side of their nature clearly, it may be hoped that they will also learn to understand and love their fellow man better. A little less hypocrisy and a little more self-knowledge can only have good results in respect for our neighbor; for we are all too prone to transfer to our fellows the injustice and violence we inflict upon our own natures.”
As humans, we are in danger of falling under a spell when we deny the helplessness that we really feel.
Acknowledging our helplessness gives us eyes to see where the help really is. This is using the shadow instead of the shadow using us. We need to explore where our negative qualities show up, so we can let off the pressure without hurting ourselves and others. More on how to do this in a previous post:
For example: “I feel helpless with (my child, spouse, employer, parents, in-laws, etc.). I need to get some information on parenting. I could see a therapist. I could talk to my friends. I could take a walk in the woods.”
In a previous post I wrote: 
There is an unexpected freedom that arises as we acknowledge the dark parts of ourselves; defensiveness, judgement of others, exaggerated entitlement, and participation with the “isms” racism, sexism, etc. This freedom comes about because it is exhausting and poisonous to defend a belief that is not true. It is poisonous to others and poisonous to ourselves to live in a state of mind that is based on crazy ideas about me or him/her/them.
Previous Posts on Shadow:
Making use of the Shadow
