The woman who lives next door likes to play country music while she is working in her yard. One of her apparent favorites is “I Walk the Line,” by Johnny Cash. A few days ago, I did a search on the computer and confirmed what I thought I knew: Cash wrote the song for his first wife, but he ultimately blew up the relationship with drugs, alcohol, and a series of flaming affairs, including one with June Carter, whom he ultimately married.
At first glance, you might call Cash a hypocrite, but that would be unfair. There is no reason to believe that Cash didn’t mean what he said; he simply wasn’t able to live up to his own standard, in spite of his best efforts. That makes him human, not a hypocrite.
No, hypocrisy means setting a standard for third parties that you know you have no intention of meeting yourself. For example, when Mitch McConnell complains that the Democrats aren’t being adequately bipartisan, and are ramming through legislation over the GOP’s objections. Or when Ross Douthat, the proud heir to a Catholic tradition that includes the Index of Prohibited Books and the Inquisition, bangs on about liberals failing to defend free speech.
The next time Ross wants to complain about “cancel culture,” tell him to go discuss it with Galileo.