Getting Trapped in the Ugliness

Suppose a crime boss builds his reputation on brutality. With his reputation built on brutality, he attracts the sorts of men who feed off brutality, off the sorts of men who respect brutality.

If the crime boss does not ramp up his brutality over time, if he does not overreact to mistakes with brutality, if every little push against him does not induce overreaction of brutality, over time he loses respect…