logoalt Hacker News

intended02/20/20252 repliesview on HN

The most distressing thing I learned in the past 3 ~~Years~~ edit: months,, was how MUCH laws are about norms.

Norms, are basically the way laws work in the real world.

I despaired, because this is natural to lawyers, and alien entirely to the layperson.

No one is going to think Justice, and then accept “Oh, our norms are how laws work”.


Replies

csomar02/20/2025

Laws come from norms with a few practices to make them seem "legit". It's too hard and expensive for the ruler to oppose the masses. It has a significant political cost. Successful rulers just ride the masses current trend. It's like a tamed down hysteria.

lazyasciiart02/20/2025

The past three years? Why that time period? (I thought trumps first term was when it all became obvious).

show 1 reply