2 ms·
We like to believe I think you're making broad assumptions about what we (by which I assume you mean world (or maybe just Western) civilization) want and belie
by randallsquared 18y ago
We like to believe
I think you're making broad assumptions about what we (by which I assume you mean world (or maybe just Western) civilization) want and believe which may not hold up to scrutiny. While they're often conflated, there are at least three different goals for what societies do to criminals: retribution, restitution, and punishment. Some of us think that it would be better to use the first two only, and that feeling "punished" should be only an effect of that. But that's another topic.
- Confusion 18y agoI certainly grant that when I write 'we like to believe X, but', it means 'I would like to believe X and I think most people (like to) believe X'. :) Don't most people do that, perhaps without realizing it?
- randallsquared 18y agoI do think most people do that. I just think that here it's not actually the case (though maybe it is with the crowd here on HN; I'm probably more conservative than most here).