[Altair]

Originally Posted by hallow

That's extremely common, look at all the safety things in a vehicle, there a lot more than seat belts and air bags. There's laws companies have to follow for worker safety. You can't smoke in public places. You have to wear a shirt and shoes in public places. All in place for our own safety. Yes I agree, everyone should have choices.

Public (state owned) buildings are different, as are clothing rules if you work for someone else..
But what I wear on the street (mask, no mask, shorts + t-shirt, or whether I wish to wear a lady's dress!) is my choice, and what opinion I post on Facebook, or what shows I watch or what books I read, is my choice and/or my freedom of speech. If I abuse another FB member, then okay, that could be looked into by FB. But authorities shouldn't police opinion and thoughts*. ((*we might get there as well one day, with all the tech-in-brain development )).

In Australia we've seen examples of people being spied upon by the state ((..surveillance and lack of privacy..)) and then arrested and dragged away from their children because they posted unwanted opinions ((..no more freedom of speech..)). I know the argument they make, but I would say, better there be risks with liberties than more security.

That's just me, but I also think independent business owners should have their own rules on whether we can smoke or not ((say, in a pub)). When there's violence going on then it's a different story, but people can decide to smoke or not or be in the presence of smokers. You have to draw the line somewhere but surely adults can be informed about the risks and make a decision. Too much control and the genie is out of the bottle, then the ideological do-gooders can't stop themselves.

They can try as hard as they want controlling everything and structure every little detail with technology and surveillance... have everything be super-rational, but at the end of the day we're also simple animals. And I don't wish to see that side disappear in the name of whatever ideology we have (secular or spiritual).

Better there be more freedom with risks involved than have everything tightly controlled and safe, but sapped of all creativity.

Originally Posted by hallow

But you could be walking around sick and not know it and sneeze. The person walking behind you then can get sick too. By no choice of there own. Someone else could get sick because of your choice. Or the other way around.

That's always been the case, hasn't it? Whom among us would go to grandma or to a known HIV positive person when we had seasonal flu? You can also carry seasonal flu and not have symptoms or just sneeze a bit, but that could kill someone else. How many of us have been silent killers already??
I believe in personal responsibility and open communication, I believe this should be taught, instead of more state control in the name of the greater good.

Originally Posted by hallow

Who cares if someone gets sick and then gets there whole family sick. As long as you can do whatever you want. Right?? I am not targeting you. It's everyone who disregards what there choice does to others.

It's okay, we just see these things differently. I get where you're coming from.