Allowing tactical projection to dictate public discourse paralyzes institutional accountability. When the public views every scandal through a lens of universal, mutual corruption, true bad actors escape scrutiny completely.
Breaking this cycle demands intellectual discipline from journalists, legal panels, and citizens. It requires recognizing that the loudest voice in the room is often trying to drown out its own guilt. When an unsubstantiated accusation explodes across the news cycle, the most revealing question is rarely whether the target committed the act. The real question is: why does the accuser need you to look away from them right now?
