Why America Needs Hypocrisy

Honest cynicism is a far worse alternative.

The hypocrite has always been a subject of fascination, not merely because he is bad. Mere badness is pedestrian. It also tends to be transparent, which has the benefit of providing a certain clarity. The hypocrite is different because of his ostentatious morality, which is meant to obscure and deceive. The pretense of morality, in other words, is just …