The truth is that parents are not really interested in justice. They just want quiet.

In this wry, provocative line, Cosby frames parenting less as an idealistic pursuit of fairness and more as a practical effort to keep daily life manageable. “Justice” stands for principled adjudication—hearing arguments, weighing evidence, and delivering an equitable outcome—while “quiet” represents the immediate household goal of ending conflict, noise, and disruption. The humor comes from the blunt admission that, in the heat of family squabbles, parents may prioritize peace over perfect fairness. Read more broadly, the quote comments on how authority often functions: decision-makers may claim impartiality, yet frequently act to restore order and reduce friction rather than to achieve abstract justice.