# Kinda speaks for itself

**URL:** <https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/kinda-speaks-for-itself/11375>\
**Category:** Philosophy\
**Created:** [February 27, 2025, 4:28pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/kinda-speaks-for-itself/11375 "2025-02-27T16:28:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![lausten](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.centerforinquiry.org/lausten/32/23705_2.png) [@lausten](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/lausten)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 4:28pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/kinda-speaks-for-itself/11375/1 "2025-02-27T16:28:34Z")

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> **[T. S. Eliot Quote: “It is impossible to design a system so perfect that no...](https://quotefancy.com/quote/914581/T-S-Eliot-It-is-impossible-to-design-a-system-so-perfect-that-no-one-needs-to-be-good)**
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> “It is impossible to design a system so perfect that no one needs to be good.” — Quote by T. S. Eliot

But, I’m supposed to engage the conversation in this forum, so…

He’s saying that goodness can’t be legislated. It can’t be punished into existence, we are learning that with our failed justice system. It can be learned but it needs an openness to learning that needs to be bootstrapped somehow. Any system that starts with a belief that everyone will someday be good is a failure from the start.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen murderers go through empathy classes and come out with skills that I wish I had. But that’s not a system based on assuming goodness. It’s one that is done in prisons, after the bad person is taken out of functioning system.

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**Author:** ![lausten](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.centerforinquiry.org/lausten/32/23705_2.png) [@lausten](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/lausten)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 4:30pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/kinda-speaks-for-itself/11375/2 "2025-02-27T16:30:04Z")

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The quote comes from this short, poignant, timely speech

[![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/uploads/centerforinquiry/original/3X/4/d/4d38eebd4c75f8e9f0247069df6dfdcc7b07c49b.jpeg "How the Elite rigged Society (and why it’s falling apart) | David Brooks") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSa52TR9tCA)

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**Author:** ![citizenschallengev4](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.centerforinquiry.org/citizenschallengev4/32/28718_2.png) [@citizenschallengev4](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/citizenschallengev4)\
**Post date:** [February 28, 2025, 6:42am UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/kinda-speaks-for-itself/11375/3 "2025-02-28T06:42:53Z")

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> **[T. S. Eliot Quote: “Everyone gets the experience. Some get the lesson.”](https://quotefancy.com/quote/914531/T-S-Eliot-Everyone-gets-the-experience-Some-get-the-lesson)**
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> “Everyone gets the experience. Some get the lesson.” — Quote by T. S. Eliot