Have you ever noticed how, once you've taken a position on an issue and expressed it, you tend to resist reversing it? Or how in the world of election campaigning, so-called "flip-flopping" is construed as a weakness and often attacked by the opposition?  We seem to prefer that our thoughts, opinions, and other aspects of our self-image be consistent, and we expect as much from our elected officials.  In this episode, I recount a positive childhood experience of this psychological phenomenon and illustrate how it can also be weaponsied against us if we're not careful.