The “Virtue” of Partisan Loyalty

 Humans, should they mature into strongly moral individuals, must first acknowledge the broader consequences of their actions, both directly and personally. But most do not: They cede their own free will to others; they shelter themselves within groups–familial, political, sports, religious, etc.–or they act in the names of those whom they claim to represent. Within such a group context loyalty is widely considered to be a virtue; more commonly, though, it is a vice. For the surest test of one’s loyalty to any group comes not in one’s defense of the truly innocent, but in a bold-faced, spirited defense of the unquestionably guilty. Loyalty, in this sense, perpetuates immorality.

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2 Responses to The “Virtue” of Partisan Loyalty

  1. A great blog, because of its conciseness. Says a lot in a little and really gets the subject going.
    Every path can be abused or used wisely. We The People have to become smart enough to learn the difference between abuse and proper use. A knack for seeing where something is headed, by looking at what it has done, would help.

  2. Connecting to a “group” to share in its power, because it expresses what you believe. This is not necessarily “hiding”. But often is I suppose. I guess the nature of the group is what is important.

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