Book one of a five-part series by Gene Wolfe -- well worth the read, for a richness of language rearely found anywhere, let alone in science fiction.

I mention it here because the main character, through whose POV the enitre series is narrated, is an intinerant professional Torturer in a very-far-future Earth society which twistedly mirrors 14th and 15th Century Europe. Bizarre as you might think it, not long into the first book the reader finds himself not merely understanding but agreeing with the necessity for the profession.

Taken in context, of course.

However -- to address the question in this thread, which is about the real world, now:

We claim to represent civilized society. We should act as if we mean it.