"It is not impossible to imagine society so conscious of
its power that it could allow itself the noblest luxury available to it,-that of
letting its malefactors go unpunished. 'What do I care about my parasites,' it
could say, 'let them live and flourish: I am strong enough for all
that!'...Justice, which began by saying 'Everything can be paid off, everything
must be paid off,' ends by turning a blind eye and letting off those unable to
pay,-it ends, like every good thing on earth, by sublimating itself. The
self-sublimation of justice: we know what a nice name it gives
itself-mercy."
from On the Genealogy of Morality (II.10), by Friedrich
Nietzsche
and if you've read
this far, well done you. i almost didn't write this far.--}:-{)