I find the public passion for justice quite boring and artificial

I find the public passion for justice quite boring and artificial

Patricia Highsmith, the acclaimed author of psychological thrillers such as "Strangers on a Train" and "The Talented Mr. Ripley," was known for her dark and twisted exploration of human nature. Her characters often grappled with moral ambiguity and the blurred lines between right and wrong. In this context, her views on the public passion for justice being boring and artificial can be seen as a reflection of her own cynical worldview.

Highsmith's protagonists were often morally ambiguous characters who operated outside the boundaries of conventional morality. They were not motivated by a sense of justice or righteousness, but rather by their own twisted desires and impulses. In this sense, Highsmith may have viewed the public's obsession with justice as superficial and uninteresting because it did not align with the complex and often dark motivations of her characters.

Highsmith's own life was marked by a sense of alienation and detachment from society. She was known to be a reclusive and enigmatic figure, who preferred the company of her fictional creations to that of real people. This sense of detachment may have influenced her views on justice, leading her to see it as a shallow and artificial construct that did not hold much interest for her.

Furthermore, Highsmith's work often delved into the darker aspects of human nature, exploring themes of obsession, manipulation, and violence. In this context, the public's passion for justice may have seemed simplistic and naive to her, as it failed to grapple with the complexities of human behavior and motivation.

Overall, Highsmith's views on the public passion for justice being boring and artificial can be seen as a reflection of her own dark and cynical worldview. Her work challenged conventional notions of morality and justice, pushing readers to question their own beliefs and assumptions about right and wrong. In this sense, her perspective on justice can be seen as a provocative and thought-provoking commentary on the limitations of human understanding and the complexities of moral decision-making.