IPING, United Kingdom: Exactly a month ago I was married in St Andrew’s Church, Didling, in front of a vicar, family and friends. It was divine. As a Hitchens-grade atheist, however, I had to stifle the odd hypocritical pang.
Thankfully, banking taught me how. Inconsistency and self-delusion were integral to the job. Bosses would lie to my face and we both knew it. Dots weren’t joined and nothing was taken at face value. Everyone worked on regardless.
HYPOCRISY IS UBIQUITOUS
Hypocrisy is ubiquitous, of course. But whereas in politics it is said voters don’t mind lies (it’s the saying one thing and doing another that appals), in business we can seemingly cope with the dissonance required of hypocrisy.
How else to explain Jay Monahan’s straight face on Tuesday when announcing that the PGA Tour he runs is now in bed with Saudi Arabia? Only last June, when asked about the kingdom’s alleged connections to 9/11, he replied. “I have two families that are close to me that lost loved ones”.
Likewise, no one at business lobby group CBI – whose website calls for a “dynamic, competitive” UK – appeared embarrassed this week when crying foul at the announcement of a new rival lobby group.
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