Santos Socipathy — Letters that should have been in the new york times

12.29.22

To the editor:

Perhaps in the holiday spirit of generosity David Brooks expresses sorrow more than anger towards Representative-elect George Santos whose main 'qualification' for office seems to be his ability to deceive those he hopes to serve (12.29.22, The sad tales of George Santos). Contrary to Brooks positing that Santos is driven by shame to create a false narrative, I would suggest that it is likely he suffers from shamelessness; shame, along with guilt, are important guardrails in guiding and constraining our behavior. When a fuller picture of Santos emerges, it will be interesting to see whether his recent conduct is an aberration or, more likely I would imagine, a way of life. More important is how the Republican party will face the moral challenge it faces in the moment. Will it shamelessly turn a blind eye or do the right thing?

Respectfully

Larry S Sandberg