"Punishment is now unfashionable... because it creates moral distinctions among men, which, to the democratic mind, are odious. We prefer a meaningless collective guilt to a meaningful individual responsibility"

Thomas Szasz's quote shows a review of contemporary societal mindsets towards punishment and ethical responsibility. He argues that the principle of penalty has fallen out of favor due to the fact that it inherently includes making ethical judgments about individuals, identifying right from incorrect, and designating responsibility for actions. In a democratic society, which values equality and inclusivity, such differences can be uneasy or "pain in the neck" since they can suggest inequality of ethical character or habits amongst individuals.

Szasz suggests that in the quest to prevent evaluating individuals, society tends to adopt an idea of "cumulative regret", where obligation becomes diffused throughout a group instead of appointed to people. This diffusion blurs the lines of responsibility, making it difficult to hold any a single person genuinely accountable for their actions, hence minimizing the ability to make significant moral differences. Such a technique can result in a depersonalization of misconduct, where the focus shifts from specific accountability to wider social or systemic descriptions.

By preferring collective regret over individual duty, Szasz implies that society may be preventing the pain of ethical judgment however at the cost of lessening individual accountability. Specific duty, according to Szasz, is crucial for meaningful moral discourse due to the fact that it holds individuals responsible for their actions, promoting individual development and ethical advancement. It encourages people to assess their behavior, understand the consequences, and pursue personal improvement.

In essence, Szasz is critiquing a trend where moral accountability is softened to suit a more egalitarian structure, possibly undermining the foundation of justice and individual obligation. His point of view invites reflection on how society can stabilize democratic ideals with the need for individual responsibility, guaranteeing that ethical distinctions are not abandoned in the pursuit of equality.