In a 2012 paper, Jolyon Baraka Thomas characterised Death Note as heavily influenced by the conflicts between liberty and security; as illustrating that high moral ideals are easily corrupted, and that people will always justify horrific acts of violence in the name of safety.
」 在2012年的一份論文中，Jolyon Baraka Thomas 認為《死亡筆記本》點出了自由與安全間的衝突所造成的嚴重影響；說明高尚的道德理想容易受到腐化，人們總是以安全為名將暴力視為惡行。