The Davis Square Community

I'm not missing the positive value of a post like this; I'm just not buying it. In addition to my ethical reasons for advocating compassion (I think Schopenhauer was right to call the basis of morality), I have already given my pragmatic reasons for thinking it counter-productive and won't repeat them here. Let me add this. As I said in my original post, no one, no matter villainous they are in act, sees themselves a villain. They rationalize it. By the same token, no one sees themselves as needlessly cruel or even as acting out vengeful motives. They convince themselves that they are acting out of noble motives to serve a higher purpose. I've seen far too much in my life to accept such justifications (or any justification) at face value. Parody and satire do indeed serve a purpose (though often not the stated one). It is good to use them to attack corrupt institutions or the foibles of the human race. Using them to attack individuals and inflict pain is another matter (even when they deserve it).

Nor am I advocating silence or condoning his acts in any way. I value nothing in human existence more than human solidarity and the solidarity of victims is especially valuable. But you don't need ridicule and you should be able to come together without throwing away basic decency.

I have been accused only seeing one side here. That is not true; if it appears that way, it is only because the song at issue here was directed at one side. Indeed, I suspect that I am in a fairly unique position to see both sides, having experienced both social ostracism and sexual assault. I would not wish either one on any human being; both are horrible to contemplate and leave permanent scars.