Self-contradiction
“Permission to contradict, Sir!”
Somehow, over the years, I’ve been acculturated to value consistency.
I was not conscious of it until last night when I was reading Emerson’s essay, “Self-Reliance”:
”A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. … To Be Great is to be misunderstood.”
Let the inconsistency and misunderstanding begin!
Greatness of soul? Well, history will decide.
Yes. Yes. Yes.
If consistency were the standard for goodness, effectiveness, even adequacy, I\’d be in trouble. So many times I\’ve struggled to be consistent only to discover that the river had changed directions and didn\’t care that my plans hadn\’t.