We Don’t Recognize the World’s Justice

“. . . the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”

If you don’t think that evil is punished and good is rewarded, I get it.

A fair number of corrupt people seem to enjoy wealth, status, and even long lives. Lots of war criminals and ordinary criminals get away with it. Few direct restitutions happen anymore.

But justice is still working.

Depression, unease, fights that happen behind closed doors, the breakdown of physical or mental health, constant distrust and paranoia- these are reality’s punishments for attempts to defraud it. People pursuing evil may appear to be fine physically, but they will suffer mentally.

Similarly, those who do right may not see outsized positive physical impacts (they will usually see some). They may receive the bulk of their just desserts in the form of stabler relationships, better sleep at night, and a general trust that people are good (or at least not out to get them). These benefits may be small, but they add up over time.

Justice is inexorable because the mind is inescapable. Don’t let it’s invisibility discourage you.

Originally published at JamesWalpole.com.

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James Walpole is a writer, startup marketer, intellectual explorer, and perpetual apprentice. He opted out of college to join the Praxis startup apprenticeship program and currently manages marketing and communications at bitcoin payment technology company BitPay. He writes daily at jameswalpole.com.