Personal Inconsistencies

[Solid Snake]

Has anyone ever noticed that, despite how rational or how intelligent or how well-informed we may attempt to be, as individuals we continually make decisions and adhere to beliefs in specific situations that would be described, at best, as inconsistent? That despite all our efforts to rely on cold, hard logic alone to guide our lives, our raw emotions still get in the way of our ability to sometimes make the "best" or most "pragmatic" choice?

Here's an example I was just thinking about. I was having a political discussion with a group of friends, conservatives and liberals, at a coffeehouse a few hours ago and I realized this as we were conversing about the DNC and other developments (we're all political science nerds, it's what most of us majored in)
I'm (most likely, unless something catastrophic happens to change the course of the elections) going to vote for McCain, unless Mitt Romney is the VP. If Mitt Romney is the VP, I'll be voting for Obama.

The moment I muttered these sentences my friends -- even the Democrats who should have been elated to hear there was a chance I'd be shocking them by voting Obama / Biden! -- were absolutely shocked. They couldn't understand why I'd take such an irrational viewpoint.
And they convinced me it was irrational. Mitt Romney and I agree on most the issues, the Vice Presidency is one of the least important factors in a presidential election, Vice Presidents don't do jack crap in terms of policy decisions anyway unless you have a 50-50 division in the Senate, Mitt Romney is not the antichrist and does not deserve my illogical hatred, Romney as a VP selection does nothing to change Obama's positions, and I'd vote for McCain and nearly any other VP, including even "more divisive" picks mentioned in GOP circles like Joe Lieberman.

At one point during the conversation I simply had to acknowledge the truth: They were right with all their criticisms.
But if Mitt Romney is John McCain's VP choice, I still was going to vote for Obama.
Why? Because I just don't like Mitt Romney. At all. I like, trust, and respect Joe Biden and Barack Obama more then I like Mitt Romney and I don't agree nearly as much with the Dems on the issues.

So anyway I was wondering if I was the only person in the world who has completely illogical beliefs like this. What's intriguing to me about this inconsistency in my thought patterns is that I'm
-- Capable of rationally recognizing my position is illegitimate and founded on mere emotion,
BUT
-- I have absolutely no interest or desire in changing my perspective, anyway.

I know someone here is going to interpret this as an excuse to bring up religion, but I'd really prefer to limit this conversation to the rather menial and trite inconsistencies that plague our lives. Religion is so inherently complicated a topic and though some could define it within the scope of this topic, it's not where I intend it to go.

Oooh! Here's another example. A few days ago I concocted a white lie to my parents...a completely harmless and ireelevant story of "someone I ran into" that never actually happened. I was just trying to make innocent small talk about a related subject but there was absolutely no rational reason -- nor any real benefit for that matter -- in the lie. I could have just as easily asked my parents about the topic I wanted to breach directly, but instead I told a roundabout five minute story that wasn't true. Why? There was nothing to gain, no benefit nor harm committed...but I just felt like it.