In an age that prides itself on progress, compassion, and justice, the daily theatre of human behaviour often reveals a darker, more unsettling truth—one of contradiction, cruelty, and quiet complicity. Across institutions, cultures, and communities, the spectacle of man’s inhumanity to man plays out with unnerving regularity, cloaked in the language of virtue but driven by envy, indifference, and power.
We gloat at the downfall of others—whether it’s a billionaire losing his fortune, a celebrity embroiled in scandal, or a political figure facing indictment. The recent case of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, convicted for corruption and influence peddling, was met not with sober reflection but with gleeful headlines and social media mockery. Whether guilty or not, the public appetite for disgrace often outweighs the pursuit of truth.
This paradox extends to our cultural consumption. Violent action films are celebrated as entertainment, rarely questioned for their influence on behaviour. Yet, those who consume adult content are swiftly judged, as if their viewing habits imply moral deviance or criminal intent. The inconsistency reveals a deeper discomfort with sexuality than with violence—a telling indictment of societal priorities and a blatant failure when gatekeepers use this as a basis to judge.
In offices, institutions, and everyday life, many wield power not to uplift but to obstruct. Bureaucratic gatekeeping, petty sabotage, and deliberate suppression of others’ progress are commonplace. Projects are hijacked, ideas stolen, and credit withheld—while originators are sidelined and perpetrators thrive. In rare instances, victims are deemed worthy of compensation, but these gestures are often symbolic, arriving too late and falling far short of what was lost. Some receive modest reparations in old age, when the impact is dulled by time and diminished opportunity. Others are honoured posthumously, their names etched into plaques or speeches long after their suffering has passed—acts that offer no justice, no restoration, and no meaningful redress.
This delayed recognition serves more as a balm for collective guilt than a remedy for individual harm. The real tragedy lies in the fact that society routinely enables the unjust, the ruthless, and the deceitful to flourish. Those who manipulate systems, betray trust, and suppress others are not only tolerated—they are often rewarded. Meanwhile, the silence of bystanders, who rationalize injustice with “it’s not my problem,” perpetuates cycles of exploitation and erasure.
Charity, too, is often performative. Public generosity garners applause, but private opportunities to prevent ruin are ignored if no one is watching. Worse still, cruelty is sometimes enacted in full view—mocked, excused, and normalized. The façade of righteousness—espoused by individuals across race, religion, and class—rarely matches the lived reality of their actions.
Examples abound. The Cambridge Analytica scandal exposed how personal data was weaponized for political manipulation, yet accountability was scarce. Whistleblowers like Frances Haugen revealed systemic harm within tech platforms, only to face backlash while institutions stalled reform. In workplaces, stories of idea theft and career sabotage are so common they’ve become clichés.
This is not merely a failure of systems—it is a failure of the human spirit. The oxymoronic throng of inhuman humanity thrives on contradiction: preaching equality while practicing exclusion, celebrating justice while enabling oppression, and demanding empathy while denying it to others.
Until we confront these contradictions—not just in others, but within ourselves—progress will remain a performance, and humanity will continue to betray its own name.
References:
🔹 Idea Theft and Workplace Injustice
- “Here’s an Idea: Don’t Steal My Idea” – Darden Ideas to Action
Research from Darden Professor Lillien Ellis shows that idea theft is often perceived as more morally egregious than monetary theft. In workplace settings, nearly 1 in 3 employees report having had their ideas stolen by colleagues, highlighting how creative contributions are frequently exploited without recognition or reward.
🔹 Social Injustice and Systemic Complicity
- “21 Social Injustice Examples” – Helpful Professor
This article outlines how injustices manifest across employment, education, and governance. It emphasizes how marginalized groups often face systemic barriers, and how societal silence or rationalization perpetuates inequality and exploitation.
🔹 Delayed and Symbolic Compensation
- Posthumous Recognition Cases
Historical figures like Alan Turing, who was chemically castrated for his sexuality and only received a royal pardon decades after his death, exemplify how society often offers symbolic redress long after meaningful justice could have been served. These gestures, while well-intentioned, rarely restore what was lost.
🔹 Data Exploitation and Public Indifference
- Cambridge Analytica Scandal
The misuse of personal data for political manipulation revealed how institutions can violate public trust with minimal accountability. Despite widespread outrage, meaningful reform was slow, and many implicated actors faced little consequence—underscoring societal complicity in systemic wrongdoing.
