There was once a meeting of the crabs. They came from everywhere: from calm waters and troubled oceans and even from rivers. There had never been a call of this magnitude, so everyone was waiting to know why.
The elder crab spoke:
- Friends, I have summoned you to talk about a very bad habit that we have been carrying on for centuries and that we urgently need to change.
Everyone was amazed, until a young crab asked:
- What is this habit?
- Walk backwards -, the old crab answered bluntly. - Everyone uses us as a negative example and they have formed a terrible picture of us. It will be nearly impossible for us to change, but I propose that mothers teach their children to walk forward. It will be easier for the new generation, so we will improve our image.
Those present agreed, and when they returned home they made an effort to put the recommendation into practice. From that point on, all crabs born would be taught to walk forward.
The mothers went to great lengths to guide their offspring, and even the little crabs struggled to move their legs as directed, but progress was minimal because it was too difficult.
One day, one of the young crabs noticed that his parents were walking backwards faster and effortlessly.
- Why do they do one thing and teach us another? - Churches.
Without delay, they tried that way of walking and found that it was much easier, so they stopped trying to walk forward.
The elder crab had to admit that they could not ask the young for something that they themselves were unable to do. Thus, they all continued to walk backwards, as always.
Although in reality crabs do not walk backwards, but to the side, this fable by Félix María de Samaniego addresses the importance of consistency as a value, both in the field of education in everyday life. In fact, consistency has become one of the most recurring and exhibited values of everyday life. At least its concept, not its practice.
Consistency as a value and an element of judgment
The word coherence comes from the Latin coherentia, which was used to indicate a global connection or relationship between each of the parties. It implies a cohesion, not only within phenomena but also in their expression.
We can say that a person is consistent when he meets two basic requirements: 1. to avoid saying or hearing one thing and doing another, and 2. keeping one's promises and commitments. Therefore, consistent people are more predictable and reliable. We know what to expect from them and what not to.
Consistency reveals the strength or weakness of our moral scheme and its application in the real world. It is what allows us to be a reference for other people, someone credible and trustworthy who transmits security and harmony of judgment and action. It therefore acts as a powerful social glue, while its absence generates confusion, uncertainty and distrust in relationships. Therefore, consistency can become an essential element to build spaces of trust or, on the contrary, of suspicion that trigger interpersonal conflicts.
For this reason, we often use it as a yardstick and element of judgment. We evaluate the consistency of others so we can know if their word is reliable. Instead, inconsistency takes away moral strength. In fact, we believe that it is not advisable to accept lessons from inconsistent people.
But we must not forget that in the same way that we raise our eyebrows in the face of the inconsistencies of politicians and other public figures, consistency strips us and exposes us too, as in the fable of the crabs. No one is free from inconsistencies.
Consistency building is a lifelong process
Personal consistency is built throughout life. We learn it as children, first in the family, then at school and in society. Parents, of course, play a huge role in shaping the sense of coherence, as well as the education system.
Throughout life, we learn in different ways, including by observing what others are doing. In fact, model learning, also known as learning by observation, imitation or vicarious learning, is one of the most important in childhood. Children learn by watching adults, who become their role models and examples. Therefore, teaching from consistency is the best way to develop this value.
However, learning by imitation is not unique to the infant stage. As adults we continue to observe the behaviors of our peers and learn from them. Just as children look to their parents for certain points of reference when they get lost in a social situation, we too look to others when we don't know how to behave.
When in doubt, it is natural to take note of what others are doing. It is an ancient mechanism that allows us to avoid unnecessary mistakes or dangerous situations. Therefore, we can continue to strengthen personal consistency in adulthood, while also taking note of the example that organizations and systems provide. Ultimately, every society and culture generates certain standards of consistency.
But when we are immersed in systems that normalize inconsistency, we are likely to experience cognitive dissonance and our coherence suffers. Our sense of coherence, in fact, is not static but is rather a living formation that moves and adapts to circumstances, being able to become a backbone of our life or, on the contrary, a collateral branch.
When we are trapped in a society where high levels of inconsistency are allowed, we basically have three possibilities, as philosopher Esther Trujillo explains. The first is to give up our ideas and beliefs, while the second involves adapting so that the system accepts us.
Either way we strive to be inconsistent. This involves giving up doing what we want or forcing us to think differently. In the long run, this inconsistency can take over, making us feel like impostors and lose touch with ourselves.
The third possibility is to become aware that we cannot change society as a whole to fit our belief system, so we have to "get out" to preserve our coherence. This obviously comes at a cost. And it is often quite high.
The cost and the consistency trap
Consistency is everywhere. It manifests itself in our being, doing and saying. It is also expressed through our decisions, especially when we choose what to keep and what to give up. Any coherent decision always involves a renunciation. Therefore, the practice of consistency implies being willing to give up some things.
However, it is important not to fall into the trap of coherence, meaning it as an absolute concept in terms of "all or nothing". Consistency can be a source of motivation and the backbone of a meaningful life, but it can also become a hindrance when applied rigidly. Consistency should be a compass, not a straitjacket. When we apply it rigidly, it ends up oppressing and breaking us, submitting us to its dictatorship. A dictatorship that in the long run tends to be harmful.
We all change over time due to the experiences we have. It's normal. Remaining tied to values that have lost their raison d'etre and no longer reflect who we are or what we believe in, just to be consistent, is psychological suicide. Consistency is a tool for living better and being more authentic, not a stump to be chained to.
Sources:
Trujillo, E. (2020) In search of coherence. ethics.
Vonk, R. (1995) Effects of Inconsistent Behaviors on Person Impressions: A Multidimensional Study. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin; 21 (7): 674-685.
Admission The importance of consistency as a value in an increasingly inconsistent world was published first in Corner of Psychology.
