Undermining Functionality and Integrity of Law— “The Unspeakable” in "The Ecstasy of Influence" (Lethem) and "The Lockdown" (Alexander) Anonymous College

Although the law is meant to be clearly defined, most of the time, it can be interpreted differently. In his essay, “The Ecstasy of Influence: A Plagiarism,” Jonathan Lethem emphasizes the law’s unclear definitions and the way people use them for their own, mostly financial, profit. Also, he supports the establishment of a culture of common goods in order to enhance cultural diversity as well as the spectrum of art. While Lethem uses the law of copyright to describe which effects law has on society, Michelle Alexander’s essay, “The Lockdown,” focuses on the interpretation of the Fourth Amendment to illustrate how the law gets bent in order to fit the government’s needs using Justice Marshall’s use of the term “the unspeakable”, which allows for laws to be interpreted differently and possibly undermine the values that Americans treasure (65). Both show the effects of law enforcement, as well as its different interpretations, have on society.

Self-interest, however, is the tool that makes it possible to bend law for one’s desires and can promote an interpretation of the law that is unspeakable. In the long run, the law’s misinterpretation hinders justice from being executed the way it is supposed to be. Self-interested...