| Predictions - Ethics & Justice - Near Future |
Date: Oct.25.1999 |
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Ethics & Justice - Near Future
First off, I will state that I believe Man is inherently good. We may act badly and do evil things at times, but we always know before,during, and after, that we are doing wrong. The psychologists will tell you that it is the norms of the society which resides within your subconcious that tells you that you are doing wrong. A sort a yardstick with which you grade your behaviour. "Everyone thinks this is wrong so it is wrong and I'm wrong."
I disagree. People are basically good. The moral yardstick resides in our very nature as a natural state. Very young children look embarrassed and quilty when they do things they know is wrong, yet have never been told yet that doing that activity was wrong.
Even the psychotic serial killer will tell you that he knew that he was doing wrong right from the beginning. They stop themselves from their obsession to kill in their earlier years but give in later, yet knew inherently that they were doing evil. Probably felt no remorse but they still knew it was wrong. They hate themselves more than societies norm that tells them it's wrong.
Nothing much is happening on the surface in the area of ethics and justice around the world. Things will remain the same for a few more years. The West and some other countries have a two-tier justice system, whereas the wealthy, famous and well-connected receive lighter sentences for their crimes. The business executive receives a two year sentence for bulking millions from pensioners while a lower status person gets twenty years for robbing a bank of a few thousand dollars. Killing your children carries a light sentence in most countries. Murder with remorse or insanity recieves lighter sentences. Lawyers can play the legal loop-holes and drag a case on for years, usually at the expense of the tax-payers.
At present, the judges, elected or placed by political patronage, have generally swung their sympathies and compassions over to the criminal. The language of the courts have been designed to paint the victim as an object, not a person. Victim impact statements are starting to be used but they can only be effective if the victim is still alive or articulate in communicating their lose. People are suing for large sums in a game of 'get rich quick' and many juries are going along with it.
As stated before, nothing seems to be happening on the surface in the area of ethics and justice but much is occurring in the mind-set of the general population. The injustices of justice, as practiced today, are only starting to boil to the surface in public outrage. Mention in any social gathering, some of the outrages, light sentences for outrages crimes. The basic goodness of Man surfaces in the looks and comments of disgust. There is a sea-change happening. The judges and politicians don't quite 'get it' yet, but they will.
I don't expect things to change within the next few years. The outragious unjust sentences and the 'special' treatment afforded to people of influence is having an accumulative effect on the populace. I expect more vigilanty justice type incidents happening for a few more years while the citizens organize and demand changes. Most of us will grin and bear it for a while longer.
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