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     %DISSONANCE CHANGE SELF OTHER CONCEPT ATTITUDE 900114

     Our   experience   of  dissonance  relates   to   the
difference   between  our  desires/expectations  and   the
realities of our experiences.  We usually seek to minimize
such dissonance,  especially if the differences are on the
side of displeasure, rather than on the side of unexpected
pleasure.

     The  growth/decay of personal and communal  integrity
depends upon the integrity of the means which we employ in
our efforts to minimize unpleasant dissonance. We may seek
to change:  attitudes, manners of approach,  expectations,
habits,  friends,  associates, work,  religion,  politics,
concepts,     vocabulary,    addictions,     codependency,
collusions,   recreations,   drugs,   medication,    diet,
exercise, housing, climate, others, ourself, God, etc.

     The integrity which we enjoy or miss depends upon how
we focus our attention and efforts in seeking to  minimize
our  dissonances.   Some things we cannot  change.   Other
things only we can change.  In other instances we may have
limited  influence and we may make a positive  difference,
but  only  if  we work with others to  promote  change  in
cooperative communal/corporate ways.

     If  our  efforts  to  minimize  our  dissonances  are
dishonest  and lack integrity,  we and our  community  are
likely to disintegrate; and vice versa.

     Our  efforts to minimize our dissonances will fail if
we  seek  to  do  so  compulsively  within  the  objective
paradigm of scientists;  for minimizing our dissonances is
an essentially reflexive process.  Thus scientists are not
the  ones best qualified to help us solve  our  "problems"
with living,  even though they may be qualified to help us
solve  technical problems which are essentially  different
from our dilemmas which we foolishly treat as "problems".

                                                                                                                               
                         (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in      
                    (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)  
                                                                                                                               
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