State of Confusion, Population: Everybody

One time, sitting around a campfire with some people, we got to talking about the underpinnings of social interaction, and what motivates people to behave the way they do.

You know, one of those conversations.

Somebody posited a guy walking around with just one thought looping endlessly around and around and around in his head for his whole life: "Don't... be... an ass! Don't... be... an ass!" adding, ''Man, wouldn't that suck?"

Everybody laughed until I said, "Wait a minute. That's me!!"

Everyone else agreed, upon reflection, that it was also them.

So my question for today is, if we're all walking around constantly telling ourselves not to be an ass, how come we do it all the time anyway?!