In this obviously fictional metaphor the teacher, being emotionally reactive, wants Billy to pay for his crime. Although in America we don't condone violence, this analogy we believe illustrates the depth of our punitive, get-even approach. It's basically a guided fight. (An important additional point to take note of: Francis, having punched Billy back, is now also an offender, and if Francis made the whole story up, then Francis is the only offender. The irony here is that in this analogy Francis represents both the victim and the Criminal Justice System CJS.)
Contemporary civilization has failed to employ a wholesome approach or criminal cure because society is too emotionally reactive when it comes to crime. The approach our society uses is based on assumptions that have been taken for granted for so long that it simply has not occurred to the majority to question them, and/or we do not want to question them because the approach (that is not working) is an attempt to satiate a subversive emotional depravity (quench a need for revenge). Yet it is ridiculous to accept something only because everyone else does, or because it's the historical way, when that something is not working. If we are too complacent, presume and do not question, then there is no progress in the world.
The punitive approach appeals to certain types of people more than others. There's no “getting even” motivation in mothers toward their children, in philanthropists, or in those who understand the importance of attitude and have worked on their own emotional attitudes. A misanthropic personality type, however, one who has “given up on others,” or one who emphasizes negatives in human behavior speaks out the loudest—demanding justice. Interestingly, no one calls it “getting even.” Instead it's called “justice,” a more polite, highly advocated and respected term.
The public's lack of initiative in changing its approach to criminals may be in the fact that the word “justice” itself is held in such high regard. “He who does not seek justice,” an average person may mistakenly presume, “must surely be suspect, for surely justice is good!” We love our kings and Queens, heroes and founding fathers. We associate the word “justice” with them because all those of honor called for it. But history is not always correct only because we adore it, and there is such a thing as learning and social progress. There was a time when quartering and disemboweling was called justice. What's justice to one person is murder to another. The reason being is that justice is only a respectable label for what is sometimes just revenge and/or cruelty. The justice our forefathers spoke of has had its day in court and needs to go. The new catchphrase needs to be “a call for healing.” Healing has been denied to humanity due only to perpetual cruelty (an eye for an eye kind of thinking).
From the word “justice,” comes the word “justify,” which is what criminals, government and prosecutors alike all do. Criminals see a man, a stereotype, disliked segment of the population, or the whole of society in a negative way in order to justify a cruel act. Negative perception breeds a call for justice. The cruelest people, the most negative people, cry out the loudest for justice. This is because justice itself involves justifying doing something bad, and to do that we must see something, someone or some act as being bad. That which is demonized or viewed unfairly seemingly has no redeeming qualities. False. Putting a person in prison is a cruel act. “We” justify our “deed” by degrading those we incarcerate. This is wrong, plain and simple. We wouldn't do it to a child, so why do it to an adult?
The word “justice” should mean equal rights and opportunity (equality), yet it typically and incorrectly suggests something entirely different—the concept of punishment—which implies that an emotionally driven desire for revenge, as long as it is not show-cased (in most instances), may be granted outlet. The problem with that picture is that psychologists now know that revenge-seeking is as toxic as a snake's venom, and is counterproductive. When we see fuming victims or victim advocates on television demanding justice, that act is malevolent. In seeking penalties that match the pain and suffering imposed on the victim, the act is equally malicious, and emotion is driving the affair. We witness the same when angry politicians seek stiffer penalties. Revisiting our analogy: Francis must punch Billy back HARDER! This primitive “justice” is basically just a guided fight driven by base emotion.
The misanthropes, insecure persons, or those who hold derogatory worldviews who argue to justify their pro-revenge attitude may say that their “get tough on crime” stance is only to send a no-tolerance message to discourage would-be criminals. But stiffer penalties haven't been proven to have such an effect, and do nothing to solve the underlying problem. Instead, we believe, it's war-like and just fans the flames. The anti-forgiving, anti-loving, and anti-healing attitude gives the criminal the justification he's looking for, and feeds his quite similar view/attitude.
The problem is really the negativity in our worldviews. Those who hold accurate (positive) worldviews understand self-fulfilling prophecy, or the value of positive self-concepts and beliefs, and the destructiveness of the opposite. Those who have worldviews in error, however, always overlook the importance of beliefs and seek to spread their negativity.
Negative views of human nature are always projected on those who are selected to be incarcerated. The negative ideas are the crux of the problem and the reason why our current system fails to heal.
Our concept of justice is also internalized within all individuals to one degree or another, causing all kinds of personal failures and illnesses. In the same way we judge, isolate and punish criminals according to our beliefs, individuals judge and punish themselves according to negative beliefs they hold about themselves. How we treat others always comes back to us because the subconscious will always hold the self accountable in the same way it does others. It will apply either strict punishment or forgiveness in response to the self's personal history in regard to his treatment of others.
Personal impediments are very often a reaction to the internalized culturally popular concepts of guilt and punishment being just. Deep within, each of us judges ourselves in light of values we have inherited. A poor worldview can lead you to believe that something is wrong with you. You may feel guilty and deserving of punishment for your thoughts, or sexuality, or concepts of sinfulness or competitiveness, for aspects of self, for who or what you are, what you do, have done, what others have said about you, etc. Accordingly, you may wrongfully repress aspects about self considered evil and project that disowned element on others. Simultaneously you may impede yourself according to precise inner concepts of justice. An early life internally made “verdict” may set in motion self-punishment or self-controls limiting success. These may include self-destructive behaviors, repeating problems, blocks in all areas (and sometimes addictions and illnesses [dis-ease]—especially mental illnesses involving a divided self-structure).
All of this can only come from negative beliefs about self and human nature which are in error. The bars may be invisible because they are subjective. However, they are as real as iron bars in that they hinder, restrict and destroy in just about every conceivable way. Again, our world is not running awry despite our concepts of guilt and punishment but largely because of them. The destructive effects show first in our personal lives, and then in our institutions and global illnesses.
When babies learn to walk, they fall. Making mistakes is a natural to-be-expected part of life, and often is evidence of a person's striving to do well. Edison, when asked about his hundreds of failures in attempting to locate an ideal filament for the incandescent light bulb, responded by saying he succeeded in learning what didn't work that many times. There is absolutely no logical reason why we should suffer and torture ourselves because of our mistakes. To do so is idiotic, counterproductive and psychotic. To do it to others is malicious and insane. It's not in any basic way different than a crazy person hitting him or herself on the head with a hammer.
END OF PART ONE