Rationalization and management of contradictions

Human beings live in a permanent interaction with their own contradictions, a reality that arises from the complexity of our thoughts, emotions, desires and values.

The way we deal with these internal inconsistencies and the tendency to rationalize our actions are crucial aspects for self-knowledge and the development of more authentic thinking.

The Contradictory Nature of the Human Being

Despite advances in psychology and neuroscience, a complete understanding of how we think, make decisions and analyze information remains a challenge.

This is due, in part, to the multitude of factors involved and their complexity.

As a result, it is natural for us to experience contradictions in our ideas, attitudes, desires, expectations and values.

We are changeable beings, more so than we would often like to admit.

Perception of Own and Others' Contradictions

We tend to be more tolerant of our own contradictions than those of others.

We expect others to have more stable and predictable behavior, although this is not always possible.

We attribute the behavior of others to a fixed "way of being" because we do not always perceive the multiple circumstances that affect them.

On the other hand, we are aware, albeit unconsciously, that our behavior varies according to the context ("I'm having a bad day today and that's why I'm acting this way").

Rationalization: Search for Truth or Reason?

Rationalization is a defense mechanism by which we attempt to justify our behaviors, beliefs or feelings that might otherwise seem illogical or unacceptable.

The question arises: when we argue or defend a position, do we really seek truth and objective knowledge, or do we simply want to "be right" and have our ideas prevail over those of others?

In many heated discussions, the objective is not so much the exchange of ideas to reach a deeper understanding. Rather, it is to maintain one's own position.

This leads to the fact that, instead of actively listening to th