“[A] society deadened by a smothering network of laws while finding release in moral chaos is not likely to be either happy or stable.”

When has a society been happy?

David, you are absolutely right. If 'society' here references the individual of "We The People", the quote's point is well made and describes the present.

We have become a society of precise laws that not only wallows in chaos but delights in the chaos of others. The chaos is brought on by licentiousness diguised as freedom.

The principle of trying to make people happy or stable has caused more misery in this world than letting people figure it out for themselves. A little chaos is not only a integral part of Nature, it increases as the effort to control increases. When humans can't control something, they call it 'chaos' -- we can't imagine the world taking care of itself.

Bravo Dave - there's nothing wrong in an ordered chaos; it depends on who's doing the ordering.

I equate happiness to freedom. I can not be made happier by anything the government does, but I would be very happy about having a justice system as opposed to a system of vague laws that are up for "interpretation" on any given day.

To understand the mess we are in, just remember that about 90% of the folks in congress are lawyers.