When the delightful Linda Tripp betrayed Monica, she was properly thought reprehensible. And when Hillary stood by her man-child, she was properly thought admirable. But these were low-pulse responses, fleeting and not deeply felt. Loyalty has simply vanished as an appreciated virtue. Today it would be a race to see if Brutus could stab Caesar before Caesar fired Brutus.
Businesses dump employees.
Authors dump publishers. Hector has enjoyed eight very productive seasons with us. And dogs, being the very essence of loyalty, it would never occur to Hector that such a transaction were possible. Yet, there is a beagle down the street who is younger than Hector and who has a wicked slider, and a black Lab, a southpaw, who can do more tricks. You get the point.