What do we mean by "cognitive dissonance," in this context? Are we talking about the idea that JWs both believe and dis-believe in the nearness of the End? Or are we talking about the tendency to reach an already-known conclusion (stick with the JWs) even in the face of what should be strong evidence the other way? Both, I guess.
But we suppose that JWs are making some sort of choice that does not correspond with reality, I guess; that there is something ultimately untrue about their conclusions from a viewpoint internal to the person. They aren't really convinced so much as they are simply rationalizing a choice.
But isn't it true that the classic example of cognitive dissonance -- the failed prophecy of the UFO cult -- is actually quite unlike the JWs failures? The UFO cult claimed they were spared in order to spread the word. But the JWs haven't done that sort of thing with their failures, it seems to me.
By that, I simply mean 1975 was a failure and the JWs admit it was a failure. They minimize, ex post, the strength of their claim and shift the blame for the personal costs to others, for sure, but they don't say that 1975 was correct and the world was spared for some other reason.
I feel like something similar is going on with the "generation" teaching. I think most engaged JWs would admit (not to us) that the teaching that they held for a long time is simply mistaken and that they really don't know what they think now and that they are working it out.
I guess my point is just that it seems to me cognitive dissonance might not have the explanatory power we thought it did when it comes to the JWs. That might be a minority viewpoint here and I'm willing to be shown the error of my ways, but that's my take.
