Cognitive Dissonance

Cognitive dissonance, the mental conflict that occurs when beliefs or assumptions are contradicted by new information. The unease or tension that the conflict arouses in people is relieved by one of several defensive maneuvers: they reject, explain away, or avoid the new information; persuade themselves that no conflict really exists;  reconcile the differences; or resort to any other defensive means of preserving stability or order in their conceptions of the world and of themselves. The concept was developed in the 1950s by American psychologist Leon Festinger and became a major point of discussion and research.  - source

Here's a map I had displayed for the longest time.  Notice the "goodies" I had on it, and around it.  I remember my dad visited once, and he experienced some immediate cognitive dissonance when he looked at the entire display.  It was quite funny!  And humor can be a way to deal with the uncomfortable feelings that come with CD.  Over time I plan to list out some more CD examples, including some big ones I have had to deal with.  I will add them to this post.  Perhaps you can think of your own.  Certainly you know that feeling you get from cognitive dissonance.

Examples:

You don't like a particular ingredient or food item, yet discover that you have actually been eating it in numerous dishes over many years.  You just never detected it until now.

Before traveling somewhere, you hear "those so-and-so people are not very friendly and won't help you much" but you end up experiencing something very different.

You're very set in your ways when it comes to a particular moral or political opinion (say, abortion), yet with faced with a decision, you consider and even go through with the opposite action.

Perhaps you are overall a very kind and sweet person, and rightly see yourself that way.  However, on occasion, you can enact a horrible vengeance on certain others when wronged.

Somebody complains about all the environmental problems that exist, yet you see them smoking all the time.

A minority (blacks, for example) that has been discriminated against for centuries appears to be the most bigoted towards another minority (gays, for ex).

You are told by a parent not to do wrong things, yet you observe that they do those very things, and far worse things.

You have a strong opinion that a particular person or group is out to get you, but in an emergency they are the first to come to your aid.

You're told your god is perfect (without sin, and the source of all good), and you yourself believe that and share with it others.  Yet through your readings of the book that is supposed to provide evidence for this, something far uglier exists.

A person who promotes peace and world harmony is charged with abusing his/her spouse.

Your favorite basketball player, who plays in your home city and you enjoy seeing him play in person, decides to sign a contract with another team - one you have never liked.

You believe your country is the best ever, yet you've never been anywhere else.