It is good for society to have this introspection.

Hear, O seeker of wisdom, the words of Jacques Verges: “It is good for society to have this introspection.” Though simple in form, this saying carries the weight of civilizations. For no people can endure if it does not learn to look within, to hold a mirror to its deeds, its failures, and its hidden truths. The greatness of a society is not measured by its conquests or its wealth, but by its ability to pause, reflect, and change when it has strayed from the path of justice.

What is introspection but the discipline of the soul turned inward? Just as a man must examine his conscience lest he fall into arrogance, so must a nation examine its laws, its traditions, and its actions toward its own people and toward the world. Without such reflection, society becomes a body without memory, walking blindly into ruin. Verges, the advocate and provocateur, spoke from within the storms of law and politics, reminding us that even the most established institutions must question themselves, or they will wither in hypocrisy.

Consider the story of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. For generations, a nation that called itself free had bound millions of its citizens in chains of discrimination. It took great introspection, spurred by the voices of Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and countless unnamed souls, to confront this contradiction. Through marches, speeches, and sacrifice, America was forced to examine its heart. Though not perfect, this turning inward allowed it to grow closer to the promise it had long declared: liberty and justice for all. Without that painful self-examination, the lie might have endured forever.

Look also to the example of post-apartheid South Africa. When the chains of racial separation were broken, vengeance could have ruled the land. Yet through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the nation chose introspection. Victims spoke their pain, perpetrators confessed their crimes, and though wounds remained, healing began. This was not weakness, but strength—the strength to admit wrong, to face it, and to rise renewed. A society that refuses to look inward builds its future on sand; but one that dares to examine itself builds upon rock.

Verges’ words are also a warning. A society that silences introspection is one that fears the truth. Empires that collapsed—Rome, for instance—often did so not because of enemies abroad but because they would not correct their corruption within. To despise introspection is to despise growth; to embrace it is to ensure survival.

What lesson then must we carry? It is this: that each generation must not only celebrate its triumphs but also confront its failures. Teach your children the victories of your people, but also teach them the mistakes, lest they be repeated. Demand accountability from your leaders, and hold yourself accountable in your daily actions. This is how society becomes just—not by pretending to be flawless, but by admitting it is flawed and striving ever to improve.

So let us end with a charge: practice introspection in your own life, and call for it in the life of your community. Ask: are we living by the values we proclaim? Are we treating others with fairness? Are we leaving behind a world better than we found it? These questions, asked in honesty, are the seeds of renewal. And when they are asked, and answered with courage, then truly it may be said, as Jacques Verges declared: It is good for society to have this introspection.