Imagine being the designer of handcuffs: "Customer requirement is to for prevent effective use of a detainee's hands, without technically violating their rights."

Imagine being the designer of AA missiles: "Customer requirement is to destroy an aircraft containing human being, with maximum effectiveness and minimum cost."

Imagine doing any hurtful thing whatsoever, without the context of why it's being done.

The Nutraloaf is what they give to prisoners after pretty much every other punitive measure is attempted to correct their behavior. If there were a more humane measure, they'd have tried that already.

Edit: Imagine being the writer of a Hacker News comment: "Customer requirement is to bring the maximum amount of sense to a discussion, without violating any of the community's sacred cows."