> Really? Do we really think cycles of cruelty do more to advance civilization than cycles of wisdom and empathy? I’d say civilization moves forward when we emb

> Really? Do we really think cycles of cruelty do more to advance civilization than cycles of wisdom and empathy? I’d say civilization moves forward when we embrace rule of law, not when we abandon it. This is a puzzling position to take given that the primary tool of the "rule of law" is cycles of cruelty - prison, policing, and war. Compared to those, making Emily feel bad (and making her feel bad in a way she's okay with!) isn't cruel at all.