Learning from the Clan: A Philosophical Story on How to Stand for What is Right (Lady Justice Imprisoned In Body and They to Dancing Shadows)

The Story of the Clan is important because it shows why institutions must have strong checks and balances to function at an optimum. This hypothetical, philosophical story illustrates how hate, bigotry, corruption, and coordinated misconduct can emerge when conditions are ripe. Take with a grain of salt to spark thought. In the story, victims were targeted for years, and many people knew it was happening. A few corrupted officers, conflicts of interest in the courts, and systemic bias rooted in partisan beliefs and attitudes toward certain religions, races and values allowed the behavior to continue for years with 5 waves of hate.

(Illustrative Only)
Lady Justice as 
a victim and
a prisoner of
hate and corruption.
They didn't like her 
opinion that all
are created equal and
endowed with rights.
The body and spirit are different
forms.
Another retaliation list.

She is imprisoned and gaged for
standing for justice while
they are imprisoned to
the dancing shadows on the wall.

The Hidden Meaning
Allegory of the Cave

These bad actors do not represent the many good officials who serve their communities with integrity. Most are heroes who deserve support and we can give that to them through reform with checks and balances. The perpetrators in this case are not those trustworthy souls but the corrusive parasites on the good intentions of justice. Meaningful reform would reinforce good officials work by removing harmful individuals while protecting civil liberties and human rights. Unfortunately, that reform has been slow, even though it would ultimately increase trust, reduce crime through community collaboration and strengthen human capital. Confusion on purpose. Slow and unimpactful seems intentional and wrongdoing is rarely corrected.  Not what our forefathers and mothers would have envisioned when they wrote in certain guarantees-that should never have been so cheaply auctioned to the first partisan bidder or unchecked hate group. There is a reason why they are undermining the rest of us.

The value of this story is that it shows how social and political networks can distort justice outcomes. When people repeatedly turn a blind eye to misconduct in order to favor their race, religion, political perspective, friend group, or ideological circle, injustice becomes normalized. In this story, victims had few rights, children weren’t protected, the elderly were manipulated, corrupted officials coached perpetrators, allegations of sexual misconduct, coordinated bullying, and other self-serving behaviors. Freedom of religion and speech openly violated. Hate incentivized through backroom deals with sweetheart arrangements to avoid accountability. Yet decision-makers did not correct in what a reasonable person would see as neglectful collusion. A type of low grade coordinated cleaning, there are other words to describe this behavior. The goal was to eradicate a family for financial gain. Victim rights now a dirty word! Another list....

Eventually, the truth enters the collective conscience, and declining trust becomes a natural consequence. They don't care about longterm implications as they have been immunized. The smallest compromise comes forward to please the political interests but the root of the problem remains. We may need a new generation of leadership with greater commitment to The People and stop the madness of intentionally dark decision making. Our forefathers/mothers reminded us of the need for new generations to protect against exactly this. It is always wiser to govern with a broad moral perspective and uphold the oaths, rights, and principles that should never be discarded for personal or ideological gain. It makes no difference one's personal perspective or which political persuasion as these issues are bigger and broader and more important than their needs. It is generational.

Even so, people engaged in wrongdoing often provoke others, use aggression, and retaliate when boundaries are asserted. When people ask them to do what is right and want their boundaries respected the perpetrators call allies (corrupted officials and flying monkey friends), file false complaints, coordinate stories, and rely on a system that has historically had its moments of conflicts of interest to protect insiders. A closed system. Not always but sometimes. Complaints about such behavior have long fallen on deaf ears even though they are against the grain of why the country was started and the liberties that were supposed to be protected at all costs. Some are not doing their jobs in serving the people.

The best way to protect future generations is to reinforce a higher moral conscience—something that becomes difficult when people believe that certain “out-group” members deserve no rights or value. Doing the right thing is not particularly popular in certain circles right now. Dehumanization apparent and unfortunately the decision to foster wrongdoing clear. Collectivization sets in. The victims know they must protect others. The behavior seen beyond disgusting. They stand in peace and kindness. Shielding wrongdoing for years creates second-class citizens, even when those citizens have contributed more to their country than their persecutors ever will. Or the self focused decision makers. Hate and corruption are powerful forces, especially when some of those missusing authority forget the meaning of it all and why we are here. Generation to generation contracts need to be preserved.

"Injustice often arises... through chicanery, that is, through an over-subtle and even fraudulent construction of the law." - Aristotle

*This is a learning story that one can ponder on what a worse case scenario might look like. You can change around the elements and come to your own conclusion. No right or wrong answer in philosophy. Feel free to discard as philosophical dribble.