Pointing out hypocrisy by itself is not a virtuous action; it is a neutral vehicle for a deeper analysis of traditions, opinions, mores and values. This resulti

Pointing out hypocrisy by itself is not a virtuous action; it is a neutral vehicle for a deeper analysis of traditions, opinions, mores and values. This resulting analysis can then be virtuous or not. In some debates, it is used as a quick way to endorse the status quo without having to analyse it further. A way to "win" a debate that shouldn't be won by either party. Instead of debating the current practices or the proposed alternative approach on their own merits and circumstances, you first require that one of the participants (the one proposing a different approach) step down from the debate and only come back when the proposed approach is fully baked, working, and has all the optimizations of the current approach in place. It ignores the differences between the two participants — be it background, power, money, skills, context, future commitments.