one reason they have so many upscale social events with one another is they need to constantly remind themselves in the joyful light of fellowship that the things they are doing are *right goddammit*. 1/

if left in the clarity of solitude too long, without the solace of mutual boosterism, even many of them can't help but glance at the crumbling visage in an attic portrait. 2/

there are the true sociopaths, of course, who are immune. but they tend not to be good writers. their intellectuals have just enough sensitivity and capability to really need to be told all the time, in circumstances that shout out reward-for-virtue, that it's their conscience that is mistaken. /fin