What Integrity Is Not

With regard to the word "integrity," the American Heritage Dictionary gives the following definitions:

1. Steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code.
2. The state of being unimpaired; soundness.
3. The quality or condition of being whole or undivided; completeness.

Another word for "integrity" might be "consistency". By definition, one cannot have integrity if one claims to believe one thing but practices another contradictory thing. The word for that is not integrity. The word for that is "hypocrisy". Jesus despised hypocrisy. So should we.

Here are a couple of things which I consider to be exceedingly hypocritical:

1. Claiming that racial discrimination is immoral --- unless, of course, the beneficiaries of such discrimination happen to belong to traditionally oppressed minorities, in which case racial discrimination is considered (by many liberals) to be positively virtuous. This type of hypocrisy characterizes liberals' demands for remedial racial discrimination (also known euphemistically as "affirmative action" and "reparations"). Such a world view is incoherent. It raises obvious questions, regarding such things as how we are to determine the societal obligations of people (such as Barack Obama) who are racially mixed. But even if that were not the case, it would still be unprincipled. Either racial discrimination is wrong, or it's not. One cannot logically have it both ways.
   
2. Claiming that gender discrimination is immoral --- unless, of course, the beneficiaries of such discrimination happen to be women who are enjoying the special "perks" which have traditionally been given to women by men (such as always paying the bill on a first date), in which case the discrimination doesn't seem to bother most so-called "feminists" at all. Again, gender discrimination is either wrong, or it's not. One cannot logically have it both ways. If women really want to be treated as "equals," whether they call themselves feminists or not, then they need to stop expecting special favors from men.

Aretha Franklin once sang that she wanted some R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Now, I think that every human being deserves a bare minimum of respect, for the simple reason that he or she is a human being. She was talking about the following type of respect: "To show regard or consideration for". One need not admire a person in order to show regard or consideration for that person.

But there's another type of respect. That type of respect could be defined as "the condition of being esteemed or honored". That kind of respect cannot be demanded. It can only be earned. One earns such respect by practicing what one preaches. Those who have no integrity have no right to expect anyone to esteem, honor or admire them.