False Advertising! That’s what Incongruity is! False Advertising!
Some think of incongruity as anything that opposes their world view. That is NOT incongruity. That is disagreement! Incongruity occurs when something or someone acts in ways that are opposite of what their title implies.
Let me give you a few examples. Incongruity happens when:
- Counselors won’t listen.
- Teachers don’t teach.
- Students refuse to learn.
- Leaders stop leading.
- Legislators follow their own personal agenda.
- The strong feign weakness.
- The weak pretend strength.
- The wise embrace foolishness.
Get the picture? Anytime we project something other than what we are, we are incongruous. When we pretend to not know something we know, we are incongruous. When we believe that we are responsible for only part of our job, we are incongruous. When we blame others for our personal foibles, we are incongruous. I could go on but I won’t.
Incongruity may be responsible for more misperceptions than any other single action. I hope that we would spend a bit more time examining areas of incongruity in our own lives. I believe that when we do this, we will be far less likely to be guilty of false advertising!
Peace!
Mark E. Hundley
