Machiavellian theory aside, draconian behavior will never be celebrated by any but the sycophants.

Those who seek fame above all else will not care that infamy is a poor substitute. The need for attention, regardless of whether it is adoration or revulsion, drives the mind addled by the aphrodisiac of power and greed.

In the face of such unsettling times, hold fast to your integrity: choices will be made, compromises and adjustments required, suffering unavoidable.

It may seem to be of little comfort today, but Integrity is the shield that will buffer you from the greater suffering that always follows when integrity is abandoned.