ABSTRACT
The foundation for belief in moral responsibility is belief in the self-made man, in one form or another. That belief blocks deeper inquiry into the systemic causes of behavior, and as a result makes those who behave badly appear alien and even more frightening, thus ratcheting up punitive measures that exclude wrongdoers from the community and encouraging demeaning and destructive forms of punishment. In addition, the myth of self-making undermines support for effective measures that enhance opportunity and support human dignity.
