My aim in this posting is to explore the psychological theory of cognitive dissonance and how it relates to the cult of knowledge breeded in the hacker subculture.

First, the necessary definition of terms.

Cognitive dissonance is a theory that was developed in 1957 by one Leon Festinger. This theory deals with the concept of cognitions, which for our purposes can be defined as a "piece of knowledge". This can be absolutely anything, such as the knowledge that you own a COMPAQ computer, or the scores of a highschool football game or even an emotion. This theory postulates that people hold many kinds of knowledge simultaneously, and that these cognitions can either be 1) irrelevent, 2) consonant or 3) dissonant. I will only be dealing with the last kind.

Basically, when you gain a cognition that diverges from a previously held cognition, when it contradicts or conflicts with a belief of yours, your mind is affected by a peculiar tension known as "cognitive dissonance". This tension makes you uncomfortable much as it is uncomfortable to hold your pee in or not to eat for days. Your body is letting you know that there is something wrong, and therefore you are forced to take action to correct the situation.

There are multiple things you can do to make things right once more. You can either change one of your cognitions, either the previously held one or the new one that's making you bonkers. You can add another cognition that rationalizes both conflicting ones, such that it brings order to tension ridden chaos. Lastly, you can alter the importance of either cognition so that it provides for less dissonance.

Now, how does this affect our culture, you wonder? My view is that when one presents an idea that conflicts with a long held belief, it is much more trivial to either shoot it down or avoid it all together in hopes of avoiding cognitive dissonance. The steps to accepting a new idea are much less trivial than the ones required to shoot it down. This, in practical terms, means that you are more likely to 1) avoid the idea all together, 2) consciously read only part of the idea, 3) insult/bring down/discredit the person saying the idea in hopes that his idea will go down with him, or 4) form closer bonds (often subconsciously) with people who agree with you, and loosen bonds (again, often subconsciously) with those that support the new cognition. These are some of the most common courses of action.

Now, if you're read this far (and I do hope you have), then how this applies to a culture which defines itself as knowledge driven will be clear. You are constantly bombarded with new cognitions. This lays the ground for much cognitive dissonance, and the unpleasant turmoil that comes along with it. It is my opinion that a member of this culture should be extremely aware of this often subtle psychological game, and make a conscious decision to wage a war against it by all means necessary.

Accept the presense of uncomfortable "tension" much as one who's on a hunger strike would! Draw warmth in the fact you are on the frontlines of this cognition war, and that you are not yielding to the enemy that is dissonance! Take pride in your quest for Truth, no matter what ugly faces present themselves in the murky alleys which you are sure to cross. Be free!