Having grown up in an “old-school” Latin American family while regularly attending Catholic School and Sunday mass, I was instilled with “good” moral character. The difference between right and wrong, good vs evil, these topics were heavily addressed by my parents, priests, nuns, teachers, and the countless hours spent watching Power Rangers. To this day, I pride myself as maintaining a high moral standard and doing what I think is right thanks to my early childhood mentors and my personal drive.

However, as I’ve grown older and experienced the pleasures of the world, I’ve noticed a very obvious trend among all people…people don’t simply make “bad” decisions due to their lack of information. People make “bad” decisions after attempting to rationalize the “bad” away from their decision. If there is an internal struggle between their beliefs and the decisions they’ve reached, they more often than not, twist the facts, bend their beliefs in order to allow themselves to carry out their decisions. Of course, “bad” is a relative term which, in this case, I use to describe something which goes against a person’s beliefs/morals.

We’ve all done it, myself included! From little things like speeding on the highway by believing it’ll make you get somewhere faster, and that the risk is worth the gain; to stealing a small trivial object claiming you’re just going to “borrow it” or that “they won’t miss it.” The justifications for these “bad” decisions, as trivial as they may appear, seem to be some sort of psychological way of protecting your sense of being a “good person,” and maintaining your ego.

The danger in allowing yourself to rationalize your way to “bad” decisions, is that these rationalizations could eventually alter your beliefs permanently and slowly change you into someone you didn’t think you were, all the while maintaining a delusional self-perspective of still being the “same ‘ol you.”

In quick retrospect, I know I have come a long way from the Catholic school alter boy to where I am now. My beliefs are still very similar, but they have naturally been altered slightly based on the events of my life, and all the rationalization I’ve done as a result.

So, if its natural for your beliefs/morals to be slightly altered by life, where does one put their foot down and make a stand? How far is too far? Unfortunately dear reader, that is a question only you yourself can answer. The only advise I can offer is, if you are unhappy with your life, don’t try to rationalize that unhappiness away. Do something about it!

A bad relationship, a hated job, a bad situation won’t change by simply rationalizing it to make you feel better, take action and stand up for your beliefs before they are warped beyond recognition! We may always rationalize our actions, but we don’t always act rational.

Technorati Tags: Bad Decisions, Cognitive DIssonance, Rationalization