Yes, anonymity is a driving force in ruining our civic environment. Civilized police forces have prominent numbers on their uniforms. Social media is so ugly because people hide behind a handle.
This is an important article. Thank you. If I remember correctly, Toqueville in Democracy in America, wrote more or less the same thing. Not to mention the fact that it is just plain common sense!!!!
Once also can look at US history and how a bunch of people in white robes and cone shaped white hoods terrorized people of color, Jews and others across the country. I just wonder how many of these masked ICE agents are either descendants of those that wore those robes or themselves have a set in their own closets at home.
You're probably right about ICE, but I want to address Plato here.
I agree with Socrates that one is truly just when they act justly even when no one else would know.
However, I don't know about how I got a moral education out of my traumatic childhood. I was beaten regularly and was abused in several other ways. Maybe I only learned what NOT to do.
It is easy to agree with Glaucon and, I think, doxxing is no real explanation-- a bit like saying that "of course vandalism deserves death"-- the crime does not fit the punishment. But Socrates identifies the real problem, which is the lack of moral education." Morality and a sense of justice contribute to self-restraint, which is the only alternative to exposure and identification as publicly restraining forces. But moral education has been crippled or killed by both right and left since the 1950's. The left regarded it as a kind of atavistic remnant of religion and the right regarded it as socialistic idealism that has no place in a "muscular" Christian country. They have eviscerated the moral teachings of schools, universities and Houses of God. Both sides contradicted the knowledge of the Founders that morality and education-- critical for any just society--are especially so for a just democratic republican society. We live at a time, I think, when more and more Americans are discovering that the Founders were correct AND learning why. We have to pray it's not too late and support all efforts, individual and community, to repair our country's educational network and its moral principles.
No, the proper analogy would be if the left were in favor of having masked CDC agents with guns and tear gas picking up unmasked folks from the street.
Yes, anonymity is a driving force in ruining our civic environment. Civilized police forces have prominent numbers on their uniforms. Social media is so ugly because people hide behind a handle.
Jim Heffernan
This is an important article. Thank you. If I remember correctly, Toqueville in Democracy in America, wrote more or less the same thing. Not to mention the fact that it is just plain common sense!!!!
Once also can look at US history and how a bunch of people in white robes and cone shaped white hoods terrorized people of color, Jews and others across the country. I just wonder how many of these masked ICE agents are either descendants of those that wore those robes or themselves have a set in their own closets at home.
You're probably right about ICE, but I want to address Plato here.
I agree with Socrates that one is truly just when they act justly even when no one else would know.
However, I don't know about how I got a moral education out of my traumatic childhood. I was beaten regularly and was abused in several other ways. Maybe I only learned what NOT to do.
Plato did not get doxxed for performing a public duty. ICE agents and their families do.
John you probably won't care but the fact is that as of today, despite requests, ICE has not identified a single case of doxxing. It's a red herring
No one is forcing them to choose this job. If they don’t want to be accountable to the public, they should choose another line of work.
It is easy to agree with Glaucon and, I think, doxxing is no real explanation-- a bit like saying that "of course vandalism deserves death"-- the crime does not fit the punishment. But Socrates identifies the real problem, which is the lack of moral education." Morality and a sense of justice contribute to self-restraint, which is the only alternative to exposure and identification as publicly restraining forces. But moral education has been crippled or killed by both right and left since the 1950's. The left regarded it as a kind of atavistic remnant of religion and the right regarded it as socialistic idealism that has no place in a "muscular" Christian country. They have eviscerated the moral teachings of schools, universities and Houses of God. Both sides contradicted the knowledge of the Founders that morality and education-- critical for any just society--are especially so for a just democratic republican society. We live at a time, I think, when more and more Americans are discovering that the Founders were correct AND learning why. We have to pray it's not too late and support all efforts, individual and community, to repair our country's educational network and its moral principles.
The left was pro-mask in 2020 and the right is pro-mask in 2026. Tables have turned!
No, the proper analogy would be if the left were in favor of having masked CDC agents with guns and tear gas picking up unmasked folks from the street.