Imagine if we relied on “personal responsibility” instead of the law to combat other public health issues like drunk driving. No rules--just “you do you”. If you're comfortable driving drunk and wish to take the risk, go ahead and do it--why worry yourself with harming anyone else?
Wait, that doesn't work? Then why do maskless conferences, flights, and events work at a time when we know #COVID19 risks are rising. Don't take personal responsibility; take public responsibility. #WearAMask
@augieray It does work though, every day. There's no rule saying you can't lick a bathroom stall, but people don't do it because they understand it's a bad idea. In fact if masks hadn't been mandated they wouldn't have been politicized to begin with.
That being said, the principle of harm always needs to apply, I have no problem with freedom as long as people don't use it to harm others for no good reason.
@augieray If you're taking an authoritarian approach then don't be surprised by push back. There are lots of people who will do something simply because they've been told they can't, and won't because they've been told they must.
Unless we can find a way to foster pro-social behavior from a place of freedom then what's the alternative? Fascism?
I don't think we should have laws the way you probably think of them, I don't believe a handful of lawmakers in the government are competent to tell millions of people how to live their lives.
That being said, people do act in their own interest, and if it can be articulated to them that it's in your interest not to drink and drive, then they won't. And less will do it because they've been told they can't.
When you turn things into a fight with the population you get just that.
@augieray To be clear, I'm not advocating that people shouldn't mask, but instead that if you want them to you can't turn it into a fight, it has to come from a place of their own self-interest.
I helped out with contact tracing during 2020, I'm also an anarchist, I have some experience from both ends of this issue. If you explain to someone why it's important, for them, to mask and isolate, they are more than likely to.
However, if you try to threaten or coerce someone into doing it, they may say they are or even comply, but they are of the same opinion still. Worst of all later on they won't take any more public health advice because it's then become politicized and repressive.
Augie Ray
SocialistStan
BroGle