Silence

(Our casual discussion continued.)

“It doesn’t sound fair to consider everyone guilty if only one of them rang up our exemplary teacher.” One of us said.

“Alas, I have not yet mentioned what special treatment these students would have, and you shouldn’t be too excited,” I smiled, “However, I beg to disagree with your argument for fairness, and I believe it is absolutely reasonable to have all students of the group shouldering the responsibility.”

“Why?”

“Let’s consider a group of students sitting around and waiting for their belated teacher. It is exceedingly unlikely that one of them would turn on his mobile phone and ring up the tutor without being noticed by the others. In other words, the most likely scenario is this: One of the students takes out the mobile after waiting for two minutes and says I shall call the teacher; no one says anything. In reality, they are endorsing the suggestion by silence – and I am forced to the conclusion that they should share the blame.”

The event is, I must admit, a rare incident, but the idea is generally applicable: Silence is the accomplice of evil.

PS. You may ask: What special treatment would I recommend if I were having the names of these delinquent students?

Alas, nothing – except I shall arrange them to encounter AK, our professor of endocrinology, in the final examination.