Consistency is the Virtue of Fools
One meaning of “consistency” is agreement between profession and behaviour. A man is consistent who lives what he professes to believe ; and a professing Christian who lies and cheats in his business is inconsistent, for his actions contradict his supposed belief. In this sense, consistency is the virtue of an honest man.
But this is not the sense in which the word “consistency” is used in the title of this essay. Consistency here means continuing to believe, speak, act and behave in the same way as one has always done. It is the opposite to change–change of opinions, beliefs and practices. In this sense a man who always remains of the same opinion on any matter is said to be consistent.
People are inclined to blame a man who is inconsistent in this way. If a man dares to change his political or religious opinions, for example, the charge of inconsistency is brought against him, and he is dubbed a turn-coat. Yet, as Maitland of Lethington said, “They are not the wisest of men who remain always of the same opinion”. Of course much depends on the motive for a change of opinion. A man who changes his political views simply for some political reward, deserves to be called a turn-coat, and despised for sacrificing his convictions to worldly gain. But we are talking here of an honest change of opinions. In such a case, “No man’s error becomes his own law, nor obliges him to persist in it”, as Hobbes, the philosopher, said. When an honest man has been convinced that he has been in the wrong, he will have the honesty and courage to admit his mistake and openly change his opinion or conduct ; for, as Charles Kingsley said, “Better to be inconsistent in truth than consistent in a mistake”.
False consistency may be due to cowardice, pride or obstinacy. It often takes courage to admit a mistake and change one’s views or conduct. Timid people are afraid to do it, lest they should be laughed at or blamed; so, as Emerson said, “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds”. Some people are too proud ever to confess that they were in the wrong, or that any opinion of theirs could possibly be erroneous. They forget what Froude said, “Only fools and fanatics believe that they cannot make a mistake”. As to obstinacy, it is not to be confused with firmness. A man is firm who holds his opinions in the face of opposition because he is honestly convinced that they are right ; but obstinacy is a form of pride, and an obstinate man is one who sticks to his opinion just because it is his opinion, whether it be right or wrong. It is to the boasted consistency of such men that the saying at the head of this easy most applies: “Consistency is the virtue of fools.”
