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When restoration of injustice is costly, people tend to deny injustice by blaming the victims or by minimizing their hardships and disadvantages. In this manner, BJW-based motivation merges with people's self-interest.

— Melvin J. Lerner Responses to Victimizations and Belief in a Just World (1998)

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More quotes by Melvin J. Lerner

Our subconscious processes do not recognize the “lesser of two evils” as a justification. Evil is still evil. To that one should add that the preconscious processes may define anyone who “causes” suffering, even “rationally justified” suffering, as evil.

Justice and Self-Interest: Two Fundamental Motives (2011)

Decisions that negatively affect others, but that have adhered to all the requirements of rational self-interest, have been seen to result in serious emotional consequences for the decision makers. This regret, reluctance, and guilt, we argue, demonstrate the power of the justice motive.

Justice and Self-Interest: Two Fundamental Motives (2011)

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Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Melvin J. Lerner (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.