Dear Friends,
It seems to me, when there are no consequences, there are no limits. This applies to all human beings. The baby unlimited with consequences, lives a short, crime ridden life. Just as the politician unlimited with consequences for abuse of authority, corruption and rent seeking, will abuse their authority, be corrupt and rent seek. Given enough time, a lack of consequences would corrupt anyone. Because even the most benevolent of us, given free reign to his or her id, sooner or later, and probably sooner, will become a demon. Since that’s the case, how much more so, psychopaths addicted to power? That’s why I think our world is a latrine fire. The people invested with the most power to do damage, are unlimited, while the weak are crushed under law. Because the elite suffer no consequences for corruption.
The child unchecked by discipline will first be a brat, then become an out of control teenager, and finally blossom into a criminal. This pattern has been repeated throughout history, in every culture and by every ethnic group, with the same results. Because at heart, we are all the same. Psychologists call them unsocialized children. They weren’t socialized at the critical point in their lives and so they’re doomed to a miserable life. This is a societal cultural problem and is best addressed with social and cultural solutions. The point is though, a child unchecked with punishments will grow into a criminal adult. This is a well documented fact. It’s due to human nature. People who can get away with anything, will sooner or later, do everything.
A saint give free reign to his or her id will soon become a demon. No matter how well controlled someone thinks their id is, the reality is, our ids control us. The subconscious has been described as an elephant, and our conscious selves as the rider. We control it to some extent, but the id does all the real work, and if it gets out of hand, we have no effective control. Now, take away consequences for letting that elephant get out of control, and anyone will let it get out of hand ever more often. Since controlling it takes so much effort. The lazy will give in first but even the strong will capitulate eventually. Look at Kim Jong Un. He was born into a family that could do anything… and he’s grown into a mortal demon. But would he be as despicable, had he been born elsewhere, into a Baptist, Jewish or Mormon family?
Then there is the example of Robespierre. He was born into a Christian family and was raised to be a pacifist. He wanted only equanimity between the elite and people… until he came into power. Upon being stymied, and knowing there would be no consequences for his actions, he ordered his political foes beheaded. Becoming the spring of a river of blood. A mortal demon. Until he himself was executed by guillotine. History is nothing but examples of people corrupted by lack of consequences or born into an elite without consequences for their actions. In every example, the consequences to the state, people and society have been devastating. Every great empire, civilization and society has been felled by their own elite, once they become utterly corrupted by a lack of consequences.
Today we live in a situation where the elite are above, not only the law, but the constitution’s that were written to reign them in. Why? Because those contracts between the governed and the governors, lack consequences for abuse. With only political consequences, far removed from action, and those don’t apply at all to the bureaucracy… there are effectively no consequences for corruption, abuse of authority or even pedophilia. As the Epstein murder called suicide proves. Without consequences… there are no limits. This is the natural order of things, and will remain the natural order, until we limit our elites with consequences for their actions, and the outcomes of their policies. No document with a binding pinky swear will limit people without consequences for their actions. Only consequences will.
Sincerely,
John Pepin
