Great question. Cognitive dissonance overlaps with—but is not identical to—the gap between the True Self and the False Self. However, the “felt tension” between who I am in Christ (True Self) and who I perform or protect (False Self) is one of the most spiritually charged forms of cognitive dissonance.
In other words, cognitive dissonance is often the felt experience of the conflict between the True Self and the False Self.
Especially seen at times:
• when I act from fear while believing I am loved
• when I seek approval while knowing Christ is my identity
• when I cling to control while professing faith in God
• when I perform or curate myself while desiring authenticity in Christ
Cognitive dissonance is a blessing and a curse. One one side it makes you uncofortable, irrritable, and unhappy. This always causes a person to do something about it. What you do can be good or bad, depending how you respond to the dissonance. You can do nothing or out of anger do something really stupid and even dangerous. For example, the shooters that get a gun and kill people are suffering from cognitive dissonance. Another response, is the opposite, and that is the determination to fix whatever it is that is causing the dissonance. That requires change and that can be good or even great. Just think of all the changes that have been made in the last century. Practically all of them came about because somebody did not like something a fixed it. Electricity, cars, railroads, etc. all came about because somebody did not like the ways something was going, happening.
Cognitive dissonance is a signal. It tells us something needs attention. How we respond—whether with reflection, humility, and change, or with denial, blame, and impulsive action—is what makes it destructive or transformative.
Used well, dissonance becomes a doorway to wisdom. Used poorly, it becomes fuel for ego, fear, or harm. Thanks for reading and your comment.
Thank you, so very helpful. Would you name Cognitive Dissonance as the gap between the True and False self?
Great question. Cognitive dissonance overlaps with—but is not identical to—the gap between the True Self and the False Self. However, the “felt tension” between who I am in Christ (True Self) and who I perform or protect (False Self) is one of the most spiritually charged forms of cognitive dissonance.
In other words, cognitive dissonance is often the felt experience of the conflict between the True Self and the False Self.
Especially seen at times:
• when I act from fear while believing I am loved
• when I seek approval while knowing Christ is my identity
• when I cling to control while professing faith in God
• when I perform or curate myself while desiring authenticity in Christ
Thanks for reading and for your question.
Cognitive dissonance is a blessing and a curse. One one side it makes you uncofortable, irrritable, and unhappy. This always causes a person to do something about it. What you do can be good or bad, depending how you respond to the dissonance. You can do nothing or out of anger do something really stupid and even dangerous. For example, the shooters that get a gun and kill people are suffering from cognitive dissonance. Another response, is the opposite, and that is the determination to fix whatever it is that is causing the dissonance. That requires change and that can be good or even great. Just think of all the changes that have been made in the last century. Practically all of them came about because somebody did not like something a fixed it. Electricity, cars, railroads, etc. all came about because somebody did not like the ways something was going, happening.
Cognitive dissonance is a signal. It tells us something needs attention. How we respond—whether with reflection, humility, and change, or with denial, blame, and impulsive action—is what makes it destructive or transformative.
Used well, dissonance becomes a doorway to wisdom. Used poorly, it becomes fuel for ego, fear, or harm. Thanks for reading and your comment.