People tend to seek consistency in their attitudes, so when we hold two contradictory beliefs and our thoughts do not align with our actions, we may experience discomfort.

Whether we're aware of it or not, this inconsistency — called cognitive dissonance — can motivate us to seek ways to reduce the unpleasant feelings it causes, such as by rejecting or avoiding new information.

(You know that drinking too much alcohol is harmful to your health, but you do it anyway and rationalize it by pointing to your high stress levels.)

Interested in how all of this manifests in everyday life, Reddit user Independent_Ad_3915 asked everyone else on the platform, "What's the worst example of cognitive dissonance you've seen in real life?"

Here are some of the answers they have received. It sounds lik

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