The Dual Nature of Injustice: Between Self-Conviction and Moral Conscience

In life, we often encounter situations where each party in a conflict is firmly convinced of their own correctness, and it is this very conviction that transforms a simple disagreement into a painful sense of injustice. At the onset of any argument, we frequently observe how viewing events through the lens of our personal convictions robs us of an objective perception, leaving little room for self-reflection or the acknowledgment of personal mistakes. It is precisely at the moment when the inner voice of conscience begins signaling a violation of moral norms that our perception intensifies, transforming into profound moral discomfort.

In this dynamic confrontation, the feeling of injustice often becomes a blend of an instinctive drive to defend our beliefs and an inner call that prevents us from being indifferent to unethical actions. Analyzing the causes of such emotions reveals that they arise not only from a reluctance to yield in an argument but also because our consciousness demands honesty with ourselves. The ability to see both sides of a conflict through self-analysis paves the way for understanding and reconciliation.

Ultimately, by realizing that our sense of injustice is not merely a reaction to the actions of others but also a signal for a deep internal dialogue, we can find the strength to change our approach to conflicts, striving for a more honest and objective perception of the world around us.

Why does the feeling of injustice arise in such situations, and how can we understand its causes?

The feeling of injustice in these situations stems from two interrelated processes. On one hand, when people engage in a conflict, each person is steadfastly convinced that their position is the right one, and thus they perceive the other’s behavior as unjust. As stated in one source:

"Look: when people quarrel, each of them asserts that he is right. That is why people are in constant disagreement." (source: link )

This suggests that the inner sense of injustice often arises because we tend to view situations through the lens of our own righteousness, without adequately analyzing our own errors or shortcomings. Hence, in the process of mutual accusations, each side reinforces its belief that it has been treated unfairly.

On the other hand, the sense of injustice serves as an internal signal from our conscience reflecting our moral assessment of our actions. One work emphasizes that inner discomfort is the voice of our conscience, alerting us to violations of ethical norms:

"This pain is the voice of our conscience. When we do wrong, our conscience tells us so; when we act badly, we feel an inner discomfort." (source: link )

Therefore, to understand the causes of the feeling of injustice, it is useful to consider both the objective circumstances of the conflict and our internal perceptions. By analyzing why, in a specific situation, you feel that you are being treated unfairly, one might realize that it often stems from both a tendency towards self-defense and self-justification (“everyone is convinced they are right”) as well as the inner voice of conscience that refuses to let the feeling of moral discomfort go unaddressed.