Hypocrisy

I have often wondered at the etymology and semantic content of the word 'hypocrisy'. After hunting in vain for its Latin, French, Lativian(?) origins , I finally realized that the word had about it almost a kind of onomatopoeic quality. The word actually sounded its meaning. For it assimilated within its alphabetic confines all the qualities that define a hypocrite.

The 'root' of the word itself is 'hypo' or 'hippo' ,hinting at the 'hide'-like opacity of the animal which acts as a barrier ,discouraging access to the inner 'persona'. Simply put, it means a dissonance between the outer and the inner self. To use an analogy, ,when a person bowing to his schizophrenic tendencies ,attempts to play 'Jekyll and Hyde' , in modern day parlance he can be dubbed as a hypocrite.

The 'genus' of the hypocrite family has several species and sub-species.For one, there is the 'Dolly -Clone' whose gentle sheep-like behaviour or one-time friskiness makes the people around him confide and trust his 'sheep-like eyes'till they find to their shock and disbelief that he is a 'tiger -in -sheep's-clothing'and not the sure-footed Taurian goat they could trust.

Then come the 'money changers'who are true in that they talk as well as think about nothing but money. But the dissonance lies in that they talk about financial contentment and absence of desire for more money. But in actual fact they crave money, expect monetary benefits at every turn and if thwarted turn their malicious fangs upon those who dare to come between them and their desire for money.

There are then the spiritual 'Houidinis' who with the magic and charisma of their personalities project a spiritual aura . They talk about upliftment of the spirit, about rising above the worldly 'greed'call of material acquisitions, about achieving a sense of utter contentment.But the truth is stranger than fiction for their claim on worldly goods and their desperate craving for it breaks legal as well as human barriers.

There are also the 'sychophant 'hypocrites, a species , that is found in the office environs. This species is characterized by a fawning behaviour pattern which emerges in the presence of the boss. Their ballet-like movements around the boss are a sight for sore eyes. They may hate and despise their bosses but all their energies are focussed towards keeping the boss happy by any means-be it flattery, be it gifts or be it by getting odd jobs done.

Then there are the 'Gemini contenders'. These species are outwardly positive, progressive and god-fearing but are actually negative and regressive ,belonging to the ilk of the damned. They are characterized by hyperbole in their projections, be it work-related or a projection of their alleged compassion for the 'children of the lesser god' or a projection of their attainment of god-like bliss.In the hypocrite crime gallery , they are 'Jack-the-rippers' who rip away the faith, trust,illusions and sensibilities of people around them brutally , accompanied with a psychopathic glee.

And finally , there is the Hydra-headed Hypocrite whose hypocrisies are many and varied , whose moral corruption is so great that as a good samaritan ,if you lop off one of his numerous heads, another grows in its stead to create havoc. There is no escaping the wretchedness of this hypocrite whose talk of greatness is mired in the slush of corruption, whose projection of love and compassion has the roots of selfish opportunism, whose Machiavellian manipulations go beyond the descriptive decorum of a word and who like Mephistopheles has sold his soul to the devil for material advancement.

Hypocrisy in today's world has become a by-word for success for it hints at a society which belies transparency and thrives on half-truths.

Hypocrisy is dead !

Long Live Hypocrisy!!

Long Live Hypocrisy !!!