Cognitive Dissonance

How else to explain  the state of our disassembled elected representatives in Washington?   And to fill in any remaining areas of confusion, I just tell myself that there's lots of money changing hands and the general citizenry (not to mention the media) are the least likely to find out the who, where, when, what and how of it.  The "Why?"  is easy.  

Check out the Cognitive Dissonant links provided in comment from Alex M. in the previous post if you desire a few moments of dubious diversion from the sane and sensible.  Two fine examples of " You can't make this stuff up".  Thanks Alex.

Cognitive Dissonant Data.  I had 10x my daily average in readership for my last post.   An algorithmic glitch in the system or a random cosmic co-incidence in the blogosphere? 

Cape Cognitive Dissonance: The Town of Chatham in Cape Cod (where Ellen and I motored this last weekend to attend wedding of Friends' daughter)  boasts large and stately traditional New England homes that all appear newly painted and meticulously landscaped.  Every lawn looks as perfectly mown as the fairways at Augusta National and every tree seems to have been trimmed of all rogue branches and distress.  Walking in town past the boutiques and cafes with tastefully designed window displays and artful signage just dripping with "rustic charm" I found myself wondering about the former Farming/Fishing life that once defined the culture of this village before it evolved  into this oasis of summer season leisure.  An economy once driven by the bounty of land and sea is now powered by tourism and disposable income.  And cognitive dissonance is what I experience in such surroundings. Everything around me suggests comfort and contentment, and yet I feel that I'm in a place that has died and dressed itself up with postcards, trinkets, historic displays and other mementos steeped in nostalgic sentiment to staunch the stench of decay.   It's got a charm to it,  but its contrived and  bloodless.