Surely, prophetic authors like Ayn Rand and George Orwell are turning over in their graves!
Cognitive dissonance describes reactions some humans have to information or data they're exposed to that's outside the realm of what they can readily accept or believe.
One's sense of incredulity in response to this information or data makes one doubt its authenticity, often because it flies in the face of their pre-existing beliefs or ideations.
The easiest way for the human mind to cope with uncomfortable feelings that arise while being exposed to something that appears to challenge or dispute their long-standing beliefs, is to label it "conspiracy theory" or "mis-information." In the old days, we used to call this internal resistance to distressing information, "denial."
Denial is a survival mechanism we learn very early in life, to help us deal with uncomfortable truths, typically about ourselves ,and sometimes close others. When we grow up believing we're okay or good enough, when every cell in our body senses we're not, we must try to avoid letting-in information that runs contrary to our sense of Self, regardless of how mighty OR fragile it may actually be.
Ego dystonia refers to being confronted with information that runs CONTRARY to how we wish to think about ourselves, as "good people." Whatever is Ego-Syntonic, feels congruent with our positive ideation of ourselves. Whatever is Ego-Dystonic, feels contradictory to how we CHOOSE to see and assess ourselves, in terms of our worth and lovability.
Without having grown a strong sense of Self or ego, we cannot tolerate anyone else's less than positive view of us. We also tend to 'project' onto others the image of ourselves we see in our own bathroom mirror. So, if WE can't believe we're good enough and lovable (due to unresolved childhood emotional trauma), we presume nobody else can!
Much of the psychosis we see today that plays-out in violent crimes and protests or uprisings stems from a deep sense of inadequacy. People who've lived with insecurities since early childhood have a fierce, unquenchable need for attention~ regardless of what they have to do to get it.
"SEE me, ACKNOWLEDGE me, MAKE ALLOWANCES for me and COMPENSATE me!!!!" are war cries at the center of destructive behaviors by fringe groups consisting of unbalanced, emotionally underdeveloped people who's only gratification in life comes from creating mayhem and chaos for others. Media attention feeds their Attention Whore Syndrome (AWS), regardless of whether it's positive or negative coverage. (ANY attention feels better than no attention at all, to an emotionally damaged child.)
The accurate diagnostic description of these folks who exhibit no sense of boundaries, impulse control or empathy, and commit heinous crimes against societies in which they reside, is Borderline Personality Disorder, or "BPD." The term, "Borderline" was first created to describe people who lived on the 'border' or edge of psychosis.
Borderlines are narcissistic. They cannot consider the comfort, feelings or needs of others. These are emotionally undercooked people who, just like toddlers, haven't developed any sense of relatability or empathy for their fellow man, their lovers/partners or even, their children.
Sympathy is the ability to feel sorry for another. Empathy on the other hand, is the capacity to identify and RELATE to another's struggles, inner experiences and pain. Borderlines AND Narcissists managed to dissociate from their own inner pain since around the age of 2 - 3 years old. One who is not associated with nor responsive to their OWN difficult or painful feelings, can NEVER relate to Yours.
Deficits in emotional development spill over into every realm of life, both personally and professionally. In my view, our political system today, is rife with people who 'talk the talk' in context of "inclusion, humanity and equity," yet have done more to undermine these essential qualities than any other administration in US history.
Alas, when a ruling faction says one thing but does the opposite, we can only conclude they are good at talking the talk, but are INCAPABLE of walking it. You will never meet a Borderline who can walk their talk, because this capacity requires considerable emotional development~ which is ALWAYS a precursor to Moral Development. You cannot have the latter, without the former.