Pnewsology

The week’s news with a dash of psychology!

Jane Ogden (Professor in Health Psychology, Emeritus; email janeogden509@gmail.com; based on a conversation with James Cannon at Radio Surrey; 8.40 am 12/04/2026)

Week ending 12/04/2026

All opinions are those of Jane Ogden

‘Just world theory’ describes how important it is that we feel the world is just.  Well – the world certainly hasn’t felt ‘Just’ this week.

On one hand we have the madness of the US and Israel bombing Iran ‘infrastructure’ which seems to involve killing civilians as collateral.  Trump has even threated to wipe out an entire civilisation. We also have Israel bombing Lebanon without any pretence that they are aiming for infrastructure.  And we have ongoing attacks by Israeli illegal settlers in the West Bank.  No consequences for the US or Israel and no justice for those being killed.  Definitely not a Just World.

But then closer to home we have heard of justice being dealt out in ways that doesn’t feel fair or appropriate.  An employer of Waitrose was sacked after trying to stop a shoplifter stealing Easter Eggs.  Waitrose says there is more to the story, but it does seem that shoplifting is on the rise and there is very little anyone can do about it.

We also heard about the man who stole a bag from a woman in a pub in London.  Illegal I know and not a good thing to do.  But he got 2 years in prison as the bag contained a 2 million pound Faberge egg and a fancy watch. He swapped it for drugs not knowing what it was.  If it had contained a crème egg and a Swatch he would probably have walked away with a slap on the wrist and a stern warning.  Was that just?

There was also a ‘peaceful’ rave in Devon closed down by police using ‘unethical force’.  Maybe an overreaction?  And a teacher was banned from teaching after telling her class about a drunken night out.  I know these are all wrong but compared to mass killings they seem rather small fry!

And whilst I’m feeling sorry for criminals – I also felt a bit sorry for ‘The Ketamine Queen’ who was jailed for 15 years in prison for supplying Ketamine to Matthew Perry (Chandler from ‘Friends’).  Drugs scare me!  My kids have been told many drug related scare stories to warn them off and drug dealers are not good people.  But 15 years is a very long sentence particularly compared to getting away with taking the country into World War 3!

Yes, it is important to believe in a Just World.  Fairness makes us feel calm in our lives, brings out the best in us, helps us to be kind to others, prevents crime as we know there will be consequences and builds trust in the institutions that govern us.  I pay to travel by train, try to be a considerate driver, smile at strangers in the street, say thanks to waiters and have been known to apologise to a mannequin after bumping into them!  And in return I believe the world will be a nicer place and will be nicer to me and those I love.  A kind of low level karma.  But it is proving very hard to hold onto this at the moment.  No justice in sight for the rich and powerful criminals that seem to be in charge.  But massive consequences for others.  For now, I will continue to speak to mannequins and hold of for better times.  But for others less inclined to be law-abiding, this may well be the chance they have been waiting for to do whatever dodgy deeds they feel like!