Quote:
Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby
So explain to me why there are traffic lights, speed limits, traffic control police officers? Why are there parking spaces at all? Why can't I just stop my car wherever I feel like stopping it? Why am I not "allowed" to park my car in front of a fire hydrant? My freedom is more important than your burning house. I shouldn't have to stop at a red light. In fact we should just get rid of all traffic signals.
And those one-way signs? Heresy, I say! My house is at THIS end of the street. Why should I have to drive ALLLLLLL the way around the other block just so I can enter on the other side of my street to get to my house? Don't I have the freedom of movement?
And now let's do drugs. Why can't JimmyJohn shoot up heroin in your driveway? Is it because it's your driveway? Well okay put him out on the sidewalk. That's public property, he should have the freedom to do whatever the heck he wants with his body on public property.
Next up: private property trespassing. You don't have the right to restrict my movement. It's against my freedom to move! Therefore, I have the right to hop the fence at your back yard and make myself at home. In fact, if I see a nice steak in the window on the kitchen counter, I have the right to eat. And you have food. So I'll just break in and take it. If you don't like that, then next time leave your back door unlocked.
See how stupid these examples are? We can go down the slippery slope into absurdity any time you want.
But there are checks and balances to things - they're called laws, rules, regulations, consequences.
If you do something that has an effect on society, then society has the FREEDOM to ensure that what you're doing will have minimal negative impact. And you have the FREEDOM to a) not do that thing at all, b) comply with the rules, c) accept the consequences if you get caught not complying, or d) live somewhere else that doesn't have those rules.
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I agree with your own words that those examples you used are stupid. All of them are a non sequitur. I never stated that you have an absolute right to do whatever you wish in society. I clearly said that I was talking about what only directly impacts a single person and not others. You asked why there are traffic lights, speed limits, traffic control police officers. Naturally because those things protect society in general. A motorcycle rider injured in an accident obviously only physically suffers his own injuries. Driving drunk endangers others. Speeding is hazardous to the driver and others. If I ride safely on a motorcycle and a drunk driver hits me he may be injured or killed and so may I, but my own injuries only impact me in that accident. I may suffer a broken leg, but that injury is only unique to me and not to the other driver. Let's talk about the "slippery slope" term that you mentioned. If someone is overweight and decides to eat sugary desserts or unhealthy fatty fried foods and ends up having heart problems should the government step in and mandate that people be restricted from eating junk food because health insurance costs are impacted? Should all drinking of alcohol be banned due to accidents both on and off the road? Of course not. Like I said before, freedom costs. I do not advocate chaos and anarchy. We must have laws to protect society so that the population in general is guarded against others that may cause harm. But if me not wearing a helmet only jeopardizes myself then I should have the choice of being dumb enough to not wear it. If I decide to engage in acrobatics and land on my head, should the government say I can't do that anymore? If I decided to not be vaccinated from Covid and others I come into contact with are vaccinated then what is the problem? Yet there is a current controversy about that. I have been vaccinated and believe that I should have been. Others have a different opinion. If they don't want to be forced to take the vaccine I am fine with that and support their choice. We all have an obligation to adhere to certain requirements for the general safety of society. However, we are not obligated at every level to forego our individual liberties because somebody else feels uneasy or inconvenienced by your individual choices, that do no harm to others. If one feels that is wrong then outlaw drinking, marijuana, fast cars, abortions, high risk activities, and anything else that could be construed as potentially hazardous. Many freedom minded citizens don't want big nanny goverment deciding every aspect of our lives. Helmets save lives, wear them. Maybe even in golf carts.