Great Heaven! let us torment ourselves a little less about the vices of our age, and be a little more lenient to human nature. Let us not scrutinize it with the utmost severity, but look with some indulgence at its failings. In society, we need virtue to be more pliable. If we are too wise, we may be equally to blame. Good sense avoids all extremes, and requires us to be soberly rational.
These were the words spoken by Philinte from Moliere's The Misanthrope. Now contrast the tolerance of Moliere to the severity of the film Batman Begins when, while training, Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) is told that the social system requires severe justice because "Crime cannot be tolerated. Criminals thrive on the indulgence of society's understanding."
Perhaps the equilibrium for these extremes is found in Tolkien's observation from The Lord of the Rings when Gandalf notes, "Deserves Death! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give that to them? Then be not too eager to deal out death in the name of justice, fearing for your own safety. Even the wise cannot see all ends."
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