The Mechanics of Virtue by Matt Berry, aphorism 24

24
It may be true that confession may sometimes aid honor, but only in the same manner in which a styptic pencil aids us when we are bleeding. 

We would never conclude that the object of a styptic was to cause bleeding.  However, because confession can limit the loss to one’s honor, one finds confession occurring with and therefore associated with honor.  If we take the simultaneous occurrence of confession and honor and conclude a causal relationship, we create the misguided notion that a virtue is achieved through humiliating confessions.  Now the object of our styptic is to cause the bleeding.



A Human Strategy ** The Mechanics of Virtue ** Post-Atheism



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