"That's the modern attitude. Poor fellow, he can't help what he's doing; let's be kind to this pathetic murderer, thief, swindler, rapist. Myself, though I know it's hopelessly old-fashioned, I'll keep my sympathy for the victim." (p. 53)
Observations
(i) We should not assume that a character's view is the author's view.
(ii) However, we know enough about Anderson to know that this was his view.
(iii) I find this modern-old-fashioned polarization very unhelpful.
(iv) Should sympathy be rationed?
(v) Of course, Yamamura's use of the word, "hopelessly," is ironic. (He should not really think that his own view is hopeless.)
(vi) Is the suspect fit to stand trial?
(vii) If he is found guilty, then what is the appropriate sentence for him?
(viii) How can the victim or their relatives be helped/compensated?
(ix) What can be done to prevent, or at least minimize, such crimes in future?
Apportioning sympathy or remaining old-fashioned as against modern does not help us to answer any of these questions.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I don't quite agree. Some "apportioning" of sympathy is called for in criminal cases. We SHOULD have more sympathy for the victims of crime, not the perpetrators. That said, some crimes are worse than others, which means there should be varying levels of severity in punishing them. And I have sometimes wondered if some crimes are best punished by means of corporal punishment instead of via fines and varying terms of imprisonment. Issues I discussed in my article "Crime and Punishment in Anderson's Terran Empire."
Sean
In practice, sympathy is a limited resource. if you give more of it to X, there's less for others. This leaves aside the question of earning it.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
And I agree! In practical real life, there is only so MUCH empathy we can give to others. And mostly to close relatives and friends. And, in a wider sense, to one's fellow countrymen and co-religionists.
Sean
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