Don't blame me !

Another interesting passage / chapter from the book titled The Pig that Wants to be Eaten: 100 Experiments for the Armchair Philosopher. This one is a special tribute to all my friends in the legal field. Not directly applicable but it certainly made me laugh and at the same time think of its validity in a day-to-day context.

Chapter 34 - Don't blame me

'Mary, Mungo and Midge. You stand accused of a grievous crime. What do you have to say for yourselves?'

'Yes, I did it,' said Mary. 'But it wasn't my fault. I consulted an expert and she told me that was what I ought to do. So don't me me, blame her.'

'I too did it,' said Mungo. 'But it wasn't my fault. I consulted my therapist and she told me that was what I ought to do. SO don't blame me, blame her.'

'I won't deny I did it,' said Midge. 'But it wasn't my fault. I consulted an astrologer and he told me that since Neptune was in Aries, that's what I should have done. So don't blame me, blame him.'

The judge sighed and issues his verdict. 'Since this case is without precedent, I have had to discuss it with my senior colleagues. And I'm afraid to say that your arguments did not persuade them. I sentence you all to the maximum term. But, please remember that I consulted my peers and they told me to deliver this sentence. So don't blame me, blame them.'

Source: Existentialism and Humanism by Jean-Paul Sartre (Methuen, 1948)

The Pig that Wants to be Eaten: 100 Experiments for the Armchair Philosopher by Julian Baggini (2005, PLUME). Picture from: Barnes & Nobles