Monday, April 20, 2009

Decency & Institution

Before I forget, just a quick note to register a great couple of sentences in The Economist on the passing of Raúl Alfonsín:

There was nonetheless a decency about Mr Alfonsín that marked him out. He believed in institutions.

Institutions are to decency what intuitions are to honesty. But one does not, properly speaking, "believe in" them; one desires them. Or not. Decency is carrying out your business in the appropriate suite of rooms.

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