hypocrisy

. . . on the mind each holiday season, when many set foot inside a church for the first time in 364 days. Neal Stephenson argues that the elevation of hypocrisy from minor foible to cardinal sin is a product of the rampant relativism of the 21^st century. In an age where there are no moral absolutes, the only standpoint from which one can criticize another is their own, i.e. only hypocrisy, failing by one's own lights, moral self-contradiction, remains an absolute sin.

Even if this observation is accurate, however, the question remains: pragmatically, is hypocrisy useful to society / humanity or no? Perhaps, more generally: can cognitive dissonance be a precipitous means to constructive ends? Is this an empirical question?