this post was submitted on 09 Nov 2023
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I was thinking more about whether the government has the right to protect people's liberties at the expense of others'. I firmly believe that your rights are restricted as soon as they impose upon the rights of others. But the idea of it, even the codification of it, does not wholly prevent people from harming or obstructing others. A "free" society can not function without restrictions or punishments. Nor does this seem to be enough protection of our liberties in this world of freely expressing ourselves in real time to millions.
Post 9/11, our freedoms were restricted to ensure our freedoms. Covid required us to get vaccinated and wear masks to ensure people's freedom of not getting sick from others. The freedom to speak in public is restricted to prevent harm or hysteria. Isn't the government imposing taxes on citizens a limitation of their freedoms?
Places like China take these restrictions to the extreme so their society is less free than that found in the United States. Scandinavian countries are generally listed as "happier" than the United States but I wonder government regulations in those countries compare to America's.
Personally, I've been of the belief that more restriction of speech (on social media) is better for society. But that's mostly because of, I'll just be frank about it, Trump and MAGA and Fox news. You're right though - policy-wise - what's the difference between the Arab Spring, BLM, Charlottesville, Jan6? They're all a bunch of people getting together to express themselves. Just because you're a moron, should that restrict your freedoms? Should less intelligent people or people with mental disorders be restricted from owning a firearm to protect themselves even though it may increase the risk of them harming themselves or others? Is freedom of speech different?
So, what's the answer? How does a planet of social creatures who are permanently and instantly connected with one another live and promote a free and fair society while limiting oversight that might prevent atrocities?
I don't think government-ing is the answer. Nor do I think our brains and emotions are evolved enough. Which just makes me nihilistic about the whole "humanity" thing. We're doomed.
Every country defines what their citizens rights are. Some countries decide that their citizens have no rights and some, like the US, have tons of rights in theory, but not always in reality.
You have to have taxes if you're going to have a relatively free society, because then there will be no travel, no getting out of the cycle of being poor and no one in jail (although, granted, there should be a lot less in jail but some deserve to be there). Rich people already don't want to pay taxes, do you think they would buy roads for anyone? The infrastructure that the US now has, good and bad, is because of taxes. No one will take care of the needy and poor if you take away all of the government programs. Public schools, public libraries, public parks, all go away.
You don't limit oversight, you have things in place to check on the overseers. The r's vs. the d's was supposed to keep that all in check. The r's fight for lower taxes and the d's fight for taking care of the vulnerable and then it all pleasantly meets in the middle. In the US, we've been here before, we have to claw our way out of it. Limiting oversight of personal citizens, yes, do that. Limiting oversight of our government, fuck no. But keep the government, just fix it and watch it.