A Quote Quotes

Reading Asimov's Foundation and Earth and came across this:

"If we only obey these rules that we think are just and reasonable, then no rule will stand, for there is no rule that some will not think is unjust and unreasonable. And if we wish to push our own individual advantage, as we see it, then we will always find reason to believe that some hampering rule is unjust and unreasonable. What starts, then, as a shrewd trick ends in anarchy and disaster, even for the shrewd* trickster, since he, too, will not survive the collapse of society." -Bliss

Thinking about it in the context of this.

The response to which should be doing this.

2008Feb18-UPDATE: Of course, quoting a character from a work of fiction doesn't really have any particular weight. In the book, the response to the previous quote is as follows:

"...Rules, established with reason and justice, can easily outlive their usefulness as circumstances change, yet can remain in force through inertia. It is then not only right, but useful, to break those rules as a way of advertising the fact that they have become useless -- or even actually harmful." -Trevize

Nevertheless, it *is* food for thought.

And really, more than anything, I bemoan the lack of discourse that really goes on these days. The lack of thought, the lack of substance. Everything is dumbed down to the lowest common denominator, the emotional hook, "my way or the terrorists win."

Sorry, the world is more complicated than that.

And that being said, the thing about a quote is that sometimes it resonates with you and is able to articulate a thought that would otherwise stumble when it tries to come out of your own (my own) mouth.

So for the record, looking at the issue at hand in both contexts, I still agree with Rebecca -- call your congressman. No immunity for illegal wiretapping.

* I don't believe that "shrewd" is a necessary qualifier for the douchebagindividual currently under consideration.