judge penitent, n.Definitions

A Judge-penitent (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠Clamence's double profession — as double, he says, as the human being.

The Judge-penitent (n.) earns ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the right to judge by accusing himself — the harder I accuse myself, the more entitled I am to judge you, sliding unnoticed from 'I' to 'we'.

A Judge-penitent (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the Copernican reversal: since one can't condemn others without judging oneself, one must overwhelm oneself to earn the right to judge others; since every judge ends a penitent, travel the road backward.

A Judge-penitent (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠not a profession one practises but one breathes constantly; its words have the purpose of silencing the laughter and avoiding judgment personally.

The Judge-penitent (n.) knows ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠self-accusation is not enough to clear yourself — otherwise Clamence would be innocent as a lamb; one must accuse oneself in a certain way.