Justice is the expectation that society lives by the rules it sets to restore balance, often defined by fairness and accountability. It is not the same as law, which is merely the flawed system built by professionals and politicians that frequently falls short of its moral ideal.

Justice, Power Plays & Betrayal

Justice is the key to a functioning, thriving society. A good life for everyone, equitably. Yet this cornerstone of our daily lives is being eroded, people divided, and little by little, life becoming harder, less meaningful, for ordinary people.

Life isn't always fair, and sometimes we need to stand up and say so. To understand what justice is and how to access it.

We explore some aspects of justice and injustice to provoke thought, augment understanding, bolster the healing process, and especially, contribute towards a thriving life for our readers.

The systemic injustice that deepens trauma

Anchor 1

To Article List

To FAQs

Bullying In The Legal Industry: A Quick Rundown

What will ring true to trauma victims is a more recent observation on Justice. In his work Pensées (Thoughts), French philosopher and mathematician Blaise Pascal found that: "Justice without strength is helpless, strength without justice is tyrannical." Pascal But still, justice is not law, which is the codified set of rules that, in theory, society puts in place to create an orderly society. Technically, these rules set out to serve justice, but the lawmakers are politic

The Architecture of Injustice: Why the System Protects Power, Not People

Cicero said, "The worst kind of injustice is to look for profit from injustice." And across centuries, the same warnings of the ancient repeat: justice erodes the moment power learns it can cloak its self-interest in the language of law. And people still seek access to justice, yet sometime find only injustice in the legal system.

Oprah on parental estrangement is a controversial podcast attracting negative attention from estranged parents who find it offensive that the person who encouraged their children to cut off their parents for years is now leveraging the deep pain of estranged parents on a new platform. Is this just an extension of the sensationalized deeply personal content on vulnerable people aired on the Oprah Show for years?

Oprah On Parental Estrangement: Is She Capitalizing On The Problem She Created?

I’m an estranged parent and was once a huge Oprah fan. Do I regret letting my kids watch the Oprah show with me? Absolutely! Yet Oprah has a new, again monetized platform on a trendy subject. Would I trust what she has to say? Absolutely not! Those who eventually know better do better.

But there’s no magic bullet, no “snapping out” of the devastating effects of trauma and suffering. It takes introspection and learning. And this is where beautiful things happen. Not so much the suffering, as the meaning that lies within the suffering, the wisdom to find the meaning of life, why we are here.

Finding The Meaning Of Suffering: Part Of The Human Condition

Finding meaning in suffering seems a little counterproductive. Suffering is what you want release from, yet by finding meaning in it, you hold onto it, putting it at the centre of your life, your identity. Yet finding meaning in suffering can be one of the most cathartic experiences.

When Justice Served Means Injustice, Blame The Justice Chimera

Justice, Cicero’s "mistress and queen of all the virtues," now depends on its interpretations, and the interpretation of justice depends on who the interpreter is. Judges and lawyers, the purveyors of justice, are vital cogs in the wheels of justice, and we rely on them to interpret justice- ethically and honestly.

Greed, Not AI, Will End Us

Greed wasn’t a thing when the first group in the hominid species broke away to form the homo sapiens clan, probably about 300-400 thousand years ago. However, AI is creating an increasingly uneven and unbalanced world, one where the greedy thrive at the expense of the generous rest. Our survival is no longer about need- it’s about greed. And there are two distinct sides emerging in the human race. What is Greed? Greed, an insatiable and selfish desire for something, especiall

What does being human mean? A brief philosophical look into what’s behind driving humans to dehumanize others

Medically, being human means possessing the complex biological and genetic makeup of the species Homo sapiens, characterized by a highly developed brain and a unique, complex genome. It's a broad, subjective description, expanded upon by philosophers to include unique capacities such as reason, consciousness, and creativity. These qualities led to the development of language, culture, and complex societies. Yet many non-human species have these same philosophical qualities of

Children’s Rights & Expectations vs The Corresponding Children’s Responsibilities

Every single child deserves to be treated with dignity. It's their absolute human right. But as a human who enjoys rights, some duties limit these rights, although these duties only emerge as they age.

Core values are key to finding your life path

The Life-Changing Value Of Owning Your Core Values

Values, the principles by which we live, come in all forms, but the value of terminal values —that include happiness and inner peace —is at the core of who we are, and can redirect our fate. What Are Values? The word “value” also has many meanings- each equally valuable: Value: The regard that something is held to deserve, or the importance, worth, or usefulness of something. Something of value has merit or worth. Value: The principles or standards of behaviour based on that

South African DEI and Land Redistribution: Similar terms, different intents

Human beings are wanderers and wonderers. But where did it all begin, and where will it all end? Charles Darwin's theory that all life on Earth evolved from a single cell, arguably around 3 billion years ago, is widely accepted by scientists and anthropologists. Archeologists also support this through their findings. But 'evolved' is a complex, sometimes loaded, word. The Darwinian school of thought goes further, indicating that modern humans (Homo sapiens) originated in Afri

Post Trauma Purgatory: A Place Between Heaven and Hell

But small things start resonating, and heaven isn't a one-day journey away, glimpses do start appearing. Mindfulness- keeping our focus on t

Fighting For Human Rights May Be The Meaning of Conflict

Before life can return to the new normal, people need to find ways to heal. Healing works differently for different people, and finding what

Collaterally Damaged: MVA Accidents and Car Accident PTSD

Some people try to push the envelope in exposure in between treatment sessions and choose a practice item fairly high up on their hierarchy,

What Goes Into Gezinta

Gezinta is about healing and finding meaning in your life. To take trauma and turn it into something meaningful and positive.

Humanized AI: Evolution or Devolution?

If we humanize AI, what does the meaning of our lives become? Will most be servants of the machines while the few- the ultra-elite, ultra-ri

Toxic Workplace Checklist: The Sharks Are Always Circling, Don’t Let Them See Me Bleed

Given the amount of time spent in employment, the time is surely better spent in a meaningful way, and adding meaning to the lives of others

Religious Trauma Syndrome (RTS): Not A New Concept, A New Way To Heal

Today, open your mind and heart to the abundance of wisdom that surrounds you. Remember, understanding life and gaining wisdom...

Lawyer Bullying Tactics: Dealing with Giant Contenders Locked in Schoolyard Bully Mode

If you're a lawyer reading this article, and you laughed or shook your head when you saw things you experienced or heard about ...

The Misfortune Of Meeting Lawyers: A part of Azazel’s story

Loki tried- very hard, to convince Azazel to fold, and when the smarmy charm didn't work, he too reverted to the same bullying tactics ...

Whistleblower Trauma: The Art Of Putting A Target On Your Back

Both intimate partners who are subjected to abuse and whistleblowers who have been betrayed show signs of anxiety, sadness, and a pervasive

Article List

Anchor 2

FAQ: Justice Power & Moral Injury

FAQs

Q: What is justice?

A: Justice is the expectation that society lives by the rules it sets — and that when those rules are broken, there is a fair and proportionate way to restore balance. In everyday terms, justice means fairness, accountability, and the reassurance that wrongs will be addressed without fear or favour.

But justice is not the same as law. Law is a system of rules created by politicians and legal professionals who aim to regulate society. Sometimes those rules uphold justice; often, they fall short.

Q: What are the three principles of justice?

A: Justice is commonly grounded in three core principles:

Fairness — processes that are impartial
Equality — treating people equally before the law
Access (Rights) — ensuring everyone can benefit from the protections and resources of the system

Justice is realized when institutions uphold these principles in practice, not just in theory. As Cicero framed it, equals should be treated equally, and rights must be protected for all, not only for those with power or resources.

Learn more in: : "When Justice Served Means Injustice, Blame The Justice Chimera"

Q: Why is the legal system often unfair?

A: Because the legal system is built around procedure, power, and resources — not truth. When those elements are uneven, outcomes become uneven too. People with more time, money, or institutional backing consistently have the advantage.

Within the architecture of justice, the system protects power more reliably than it protects people.

Consider this: "Who promised you life would be fair?"

Q: What is “systemic injustice” in law?

Systemic injustice isn’t caused by one biased judge or one negligent lawyer. It is embedded in:

the rules
the procedures
the costs
the delays
who gets heard
who gets believed

Systemic injustice can occur even when every actor is “following the rules.” That’s why it is so persistent — and so hard to reform.

Explore more in: “The Architecture of Injustice: Why the System Protects Power, Not People”

A: Does the legal system protect victims?

A: Sometimes. But the system is often so slow, complex, and adversarial that it can further harm those who were already harmed. Many victims withdraw long before their case is even heard.

Yet some continue to stand their ground — and occasionally, they do prevail.

See: Giglioli Bono's 36-year jouney in The Architecture of Injustice

Q: What’s the biggest cause of injustice?

A: Not primarily corruption. The deeper cause is distorted incentives — a system that rewards winning over truth, strategy over integrity, and efficiency over humanity. When outcomes depend more on advantage than on accuracy, injustice becomes predictable.

Related reading: Lawyer Bullying Tactics: Why Do 90% Of Lawyers Give The Rest A Bad Name?

Q: What does ‘justice’ actually mean for ordinary people?

A: For most people, justice means:

being heard
being treated fairly
not being overpowered by wealth or influence
having a process that seeks truth instead of manufacturing it

Most legal systems don’t begin from these values. At best, they arrive there — and only for those who persist long enough.

Further insights in: "The Architecture of Injustice"

Q: How can law appear neutral but produce biased outcomes?

A: Neutral rules do not create neutral results. When people enter the system with unequal resources, power, or credibility, the outcomes reflect those inequalities. The law may be written in abstract terms, but cases are decided in real-world conditions.

Explore this dynamic in: The Architecture of Injustice

Q What is whistleblower trauma?

A: Whistleblower trauma refers to the severe psychological and emotional strain experienced by people who expose wrongdoing. It can arise from:

the internal conflict of deciding whether to report
retaliation such as job loss, isolation, harassment, or legal pressure
the moral injury of having one’s integrity questioned
the experience of being punished for upholding values

The impact can include depression, anxiety, substance misuse, hopelessness, physical stress-related symptoms, or PTSD — the brain often interprets betrayal and attack as a threat.

More in: Whistleblower Trauma: The Art of Putting a Target On Your Back

Q: What are some famous quotes about injustice?

A: Several thinkers have captured the tension between justice, power, and the legal profession:

“A lawyer is a gentleman who rescues your estate from your enemies
and keeps it for himself.” — Henry Peter Brougham

“A jury consists of twelve persons chosen to decide who has the better lawyer.”
— Robert Frost

And from a very different angle:

“Justice looks for no prize and no price; it is sought for itself,
and is at once the cause and meaning of all the virtues.” — Cicero

These observations remain strikingly relevant in contemporary systems.

Discussed in: When Justice Served Means Injustice, Blame The Justice Chimera

Q: What are the signs of a toxic workplace?

Toxic workplaces are marked by a persistent atmosphere of fear, disrespect, and instability. Common signs include:

widespread anxiety
high turnover
bullying
micromanagement
unmanageable workloads
favouritism
lack of growth or psychological safety

These environments corrode trust and wellbeing long before anyone realises how normalised the dysfunction has become.

See: "Toxic Workplace Checklist: The Sharks Are Always Circling, Don’t Let Them See Me Bleed"

Q: Can a car accident give you PTSD?

A: Yes — and more often than people realise. PTSD can follow a car accident, particularly when there are injuries or fatalities. People may experience:

intrusive memories or flashbacks
avoidance (especially driving)
hypervigilance
sleep difficulties and irritability
emotional numbness or detachment

Trauma isn’t only about the event — it’s about how the mind experiences threat and loss.