A clamorous, multiplying, gaggle of petty magistrates. posted by Richard Seymour

John Berger on the latest witch-hunt:

Without ethics man has no future. This is to say mankind without them cannot be itself. Ethics determine choices and actions and suggest difficult priorities. They have nothing to do, however, with judging the actions of others. Such judgments are the prerogative of (often self-proclaimed) moralists. In ethics there is a humility; moralists are usually righteous.

Via Charlotte Street

What we lack in our lives - real power - we sometimes try and attain through petty attempts to control or dominate others. Thus, a temporary sense of self-worth can be obtained through pointless vindictiveness or by projecting oneself into the role of Judge Judy in which the personal failings of others are exposed to one's withering critique and ultimately merciless damnation. Jail this or that person, deport them, sack him, evict her... In a pseudo-democratic culture such as ours, we can surely have phone and internet polls in which people are invited to denounce the latest villain, suggest punishments, argue for the prosecution or defense, plea for clemency etc. So long as it doesn't matter. So long as it doesn't really make any difference to your life. Vote now.