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Poetry · Chapter
Chapter CII explained
When publicly censured, our first instinct is to make everybody a codefendant.
What happens
When publicly censured, our first instinct is to make everybody a codefendant.
Themes in this chapter
Deception and Self-Deception
The instinct to deflect blame by implicating others reflects self-deception and denial of personal responsibility.
Key passages
“When publicly censured our first instinct is to make everybody a codefendant.”
When we are criticized in public, our immediate reaction is to involve others as accomplices.
This aphorism highlights a common human tendency to avoid sole blame by spreading guilt.