Hypocrisy - does it have to be in your face?

This blog might touch some sensitive nerves... Nothing personal.

Been wanting to understand the term hypocrisy. Who are the people that you would term "a hypocrite"?

When I was a child, a scenario to describe it would be, the kiasu-kiasi types who insisted they didnt study for their exams and spotted all the wrong topics, but still ended up scoring straight 'A's.

When I started working, a colleague expressed sympathy for a fellow-worker who was a mother with a newborn when the latter took child-leave quite frequently. But behind her back, the colleague said "I feel sorry for whoever's covering for the mummy while she utilises child-leave to the max".

This yuppie who tells you he goes to the gym 3 times a week, plays tennis during the weekends, goes on a low-carb diet; and encourages you to do the same - because it's healthy. Until you find out more about his lifestyle, which also includes late-nights, clubbing, alcohol and smoking. And you decide that he is in no position to give advice on healthy living. Does that make him a hypocrite, for just asking you to exercise and eat less, never crossed his mind to offer you a cigarette or buy you a vodka?

A devout follower of x religion, who is humble, caring, helpful and diligent, having an extra-marital affair in the name of solace. God forbid?!

The better-off telling those with loans to service and mortgages to settle "There's more to life than money; take time off. Do what you've been meaning to".

Hypocrisy. A common word with unusual meanings... The mother of judgement and excuses.