QotD

[velvetpage]

"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience."

C.S. Lewis, i think, but if anyone can be more specific than that I'd appreciate it.

Comments

[wyldraven.livejournal.com]

The Humanitarian Theory of Punishment by C. S. Lewis
See it in context here (http://64.233.179.104/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&q=cache:46rsP5xofSEJ:www.arch-angel.net/shrine/Articles/The%2520Humanitarian%2520Theory%2520of%2520Punishment.doc+tyranny+exercised+for+the+good+of+its+victims+may+be+the+most+oppressive).

[velvetpage.livejournal.com]

Hmm. That does put a slightly different spin on things, doesn't it?

I can see his point, and I don't really want to reduce all criminal punishment to a combination of healing and deterrent. I think the best thing is to consider justice first, and then, through the justice, consider both deterrence and healing.

[purplkat.livejournal.com]

There is something wrong with me. I read that first bit as: "Of all trannies, a tranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive." I was REALLY wondering where you were going with the post. ;)