| < BACK |
|
On Responsibility |
|
John F Medio |
|
NEXT > |
There are those who say exploitation of the tort system is simply a form of capitalism. If so, we have created the crudest form of capitalism, a sadistic one at that: if there is money to be made, even in the misfortune of others, why not take advantage of it? This is the question most lawyers pose to their clients. That is how they rationalize a lawsuit against a company worth hundreds of millions of dollars. If there is a hole in the law, exploit it. That creates a paradox in my mind. Is "greed" not one of the seven deadly sins? Do we not teach our children not to be selfish and greedy with material possessions? How then do you rationalize suing a family whose father you killed because you had the mental anguish of watching him die (CALA)? I think the answer is clear; one cannot, in good conscience do such a thing, unless blinded by greed. It is goes back to the idea that there is money to be made, why not make it. It is true that our country prides itself on its capitalistic nature, and I am a firm supporter of capitalism, but just as we have laws like anti-trust, which bring morals into the capitalistic market, we need to extinguish the idea of suing anybody and everybody from our minds.
If we all agree to take more responsibility for our own mistakes, our society would be a better, safer place. This doesn’t simply involve admission of guilt; it rests on the fact that we do not look to others to compensate us for self-inflicted pain. When we do something wrong, or stupid, we must be ready to face the consequences, whether they be physical or emotional pain. Additionally, we cannot punish a person for doing what is well within his rights as human being; for example, breaking off a wedding.
|
|