THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2026 19 Speaking Out is the Journal’s opinion forum, a place for lively discussion of issues affecting the U.S. Foreign Service and American diplomacy. The views expressed are those of the author; their publication here does not imply endorsement by the American Foreign Service Association. Responses are welcome; send them to journal@afsa.org. The key point is not that we should change our policies or avoid difficult or nuanced topics, but that we should consider dissonance in our strategic messaging and evaluation. Time to Embrace Uncertainty, at Least in the Planning Process It’s easy to see how audiences grow weary of the gap between our stated values and our behavior. Like a spring stretched too often, cognitive elasticity wears down. If exposed to constant dissonance, cognitive resilience (or stiffness) decays over time; and, as resilience decreases, cognitive dissonance (or strain) accumulates more rapidly. If we keep testing that limit—by sidestepping nuance, dodging charges of hypocrisy, or dismissing criticism as “whataboutism”—we risk lasting damage to American credibility. Before we criticize China on human rights, perhaps we should start by acknowledging our own struggles. Similarly, before lecturing one country on LGBTQ+ protections, we might recognize that we don’t even address the issue in certain other countries. This approach wouldn’t change our policies but could soften our stance and reduce dissonance. International relations are complex, and aligning perceived values with actions is challenging. We can, however, make a greater effort to analyze potential cognitive dissonance in foreign audiences and mitigate its long-term effects by acknowledging its existence and admitting that our actions sometimes exacerbate it. Philosopher Bertrand Russell once said, “One of the biggest problems with the world is that fools are always so sure and certain about everything and intelligent people are so full of doubts and uncertainties.” It might be time to embrace the uncertainties in our messaging—it could make us the smartest players in the room. n
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