OTWO said: "The cognitive dissonance cannot stand such obvious contradictions ... would have to be introduced in stages."
That is an interesting point. I had noticed this in the explanation in the w08 2/15 when they changed their position about who "this generation" was. At first I thought it was a fascinating change. But then, as I researched it more and tried to look at the validity of their arguments, it became more apparent to me that this was a snow job of sorts.
The 2/15 Watchtower does exactly what you said within just a few paragraphs.
Page 23 par.10 acknowledges that in the past they thought it was worldly contemporaries.
Page 23 par.11 says, in part: "Since Jesus did not use negative qualifiers when speaking to them about 'this generation,' the apostles would no doubt have understood that they and their fellow disciples were to be part of the 'generation' that would not pass away "until all these things [would] occur."
Page 23 par.12, 13 argues that it was Jesus' disciples who would see ("draw certain conclusions when they saw") all these things, not the world. (Conveniently ignoring the fact that Jesus did not say that "this generation" would understand "these things," only that it 'would not pass away until all these things occur.') Par.13 completes the change: "So Jesus must have been referring to his disciples ..."
The movement in thought is interesting: First, this generation was the world (p.10) Next, 'the disciples would think they were part of it.' (par.11) Finally, 'its them and only them.' (par.13b)
Kind of like moving a box from one room in your house to another: First in one room, then transitioning (in the hallway), then finally in the new room. (The article also ignores the fact that the "box" used to be in this new room earlier.)
(A couple of other things the article ignores: "this generation" is mentioned in Mt 23:36, probably less than 2 hours before it is mentioned again in 24:36, or, less than ten minutes reading time apart for the reader of Matthew. Yet no explanation is given in Matthew for this (supposedly) complete change of meaning of the identical terms. Luke 21:31 - 36, contrasts "You" (the disciples), who hopefully keep "standing before the Son of man," whereas "this generation" eventually "passes away.")
Thus, the article employs subtle movement of thought coupled with selective use of unrelated ideas and non-use of pertinent facts.
(Another interesting thing with the above is the timing of the release of the "Faith In Action" DVDs which memorializes the WT leadership.)
