Cognitive Dissonance Theory

Time for a song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bp39qSdyTc4

Catchy tune. Around the manosphere we get caught up in sexy new discoveries, but tend to ignore the basics that have been around for decades. If evo psych socialization is to be believed to be rock solid, and we can base an entire analysis of our sexual behavior on it, then basic psych the psych behind that socialization must be even better. Enter cognitive dissonance.

According to cognitive dissonance theory, there is a tendency for individuals to seek consistency among their cognitions (i.e., beliefs, opinions). When there is an inconsistency between attitudes or behaviors (dissonance), something must change to eliminate the dissonance.

Dissonance can be reduced in one of three ways:

First, individuals can change one or more of the attitudes, behavior, beliefs etc. so as to make the relationship between the two elements a consonant one. When one of the dissonant elements is a behavior, the individual can change or eliminate the behavior. However, this mode of dissonance reduction frequently presents problems for people, as it is often difficult for people to change well-learned behavioral responses (e.g. giving up smoking).

A second (cognitive) method of reducing dissonance is to acquire new information that outweighs the dissonant beliefs. For example, thinking smoking causes lung cancer will cause dissonance if a person smokes. However, new information such as “research has not proved definitely that smoking causes lung cancer” may reduce the dissonance.

A third way to reduce dissonance is to reduce the importance of the cognitions (i.e. beliefs, attitudes). A person could convince themself that it is better to "live for today" than to "save for tomorrow." In other words, he could tell himself that a short life filled with smoking and sensual pleasures is better than a long life devoid of such joys. In this way, he would be decreasing the importance of the dissonant cognition (smoking is bad of ones health).

Notice that dissonance theory does not state that these modes of dissonance reduction will actually work, only that individuals who are in a state of cognitive dissonance will take steps to reduce the extent of their dissonance. In context of TRP's TBP's views of women men, and TBP's TRP's reaction, this theory can be applied. At the point of rejection, a dissonance is created in the mind of the rejected. If you make a seduction white knighting attempt, you believe that you are good enough for might be given pitty sex from the person you are propositioning begging for sex. When they give you the ol', "Fuck no creep", massive damage control needs to be done to maintain the integrity of your self opinion your asinine worldviews. You are a 5 star man Mom's special little guy, you are not a creep, you are not ugly wrong in your beliefs. Or so you thought. Well, you just were misinformed by society (justified!). Women were never capable of loving you in the first place, and so forth. Those who disagree with you are just neckbearded virgin fedora douchebags who rape women for fun.

This creates a chain reaction. As men publicly flagellate themselves for their lack of alphahood white knight some more by shitting on men who try to work on their charisma, and women for being soulless, hypergamous cyborgs, they are not the only readers of the material consider women to be Gods, no wait women can be shitty too---but not really. Women are reading it and experiencing dissonance as well.

What I am recommending here is just a moment of self evaluation. The belief path that you are on now has an origin, and you are in the habit of letting your disappointments influence you in ways that cause you even more unnecessary suffering, that is something that is worth taking a look at.

I rarely see basic concepts like this enter the conversation unless it is in a way that further demonizes women all men. To me, that is not a worthwhile way to conduct philosophy. The goal should be to reach the absolute truth, and if your motivation is purely to resolve your own hurt feelings, then your are crippled from the start.

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