One of the primary faults in the way our societies function is that the systems in place have all been designed to operate under the assumption that the essential cogs behave both morally and ethically. This is true for both the micro and macro levels, and is a consequence of the general illusion—or self-deluded wishful thinking—that we all live in a relatively ‘high trust’ society.
Take America. Everywhere you look around you, systems are designed to work under the assumption that they will not be misused by members of the privileged classes. Sure, there’s a smattering of symbolic ‘fail safes’, designed more as token deterrences than any real mechanisms for accountability. The micro level fares better, because the average citizen is far more attuned to the natural savage state of Man. The higher up the food chain you go, to the corporo-governmental level, you find the pressure valves appear deliberately set to “loose”; it’s like a corrupt jail warden leaving the backdoor ostensibly ‘closed’, but unlocked, to allow illicit activity to slip past in the murk of night.
Someone famously said:
“If you want to understand how the world works, imagine that every action is the result of a conspiracy by your enemies.”
“…systems are designed to work under the assumption that they will not be misused by members of the privileged classes.”
It’s “Morning in America” (this morning), and we wake up to the news that the criminal Joe Biden has pardoned the criminal Hunter Biden.
In keeping with the above posted motif (the Scales of Justice) I give you this:
This is a concept I have always wondered about, noting the inherent fragility of a society essentially based on the honour system. Ripe for abuse by the unscrupulous, the desperate, or the evil, this approach seems to be an all-or-nothing proposition.
In short, when we all play by the rules and behave with honour and integrity, it means we are all pulling in the same direction at the same time, and nothing is therefore beyond our effort.
If we aren’t, then there is counter-productive tension and self-defeating distraction that only serves to undermine and dilute our collective potential. It’s the Tragedy of the Commons, over and again.
And the Biden pardon nonsense only underscores this.
IMO, the Hunter pardon is a brilliant strategic move, FJB giving a big middle finger to Obama. Because of the pardon, Hunter can no longer ‘take the 5th’ and can be compelled to testify in other trials. If he refuses or obstructs, he can be jailed for criminal contempt. It seems more effective than a plea deal (where documents and statements can be put under lock and key. It will be fun to watch the cockroaches scatter.