Society as a whole, he reminded himself, must be protected against the individual, just as a human body must be protected against malfunction of any … - Robert Sheckley

What had he been taught? For the social good, you must be your own policeman and witness. You must assume responsibility for any crime which might conceivably be yours.
The face of the informer stared impassively at him. It was Barrent’s own face, reflected back from a mirror on the wall.

It was an eccentric sort of event, even for Esmeralda, and needed a special kind of person to volunteer to do it. Luckily, the human race has never thought up anything so ludicrous, dangerous, and frivolous that it won’t attract many willing volunteers.

But what's it all for?" "That's a stupid question. You might as well ask what reality is for." "Well...what is reality for?